Think Again
by ShootingSydalPress
Summary: [[The Miz/Paige]] The Miz has returned from filming The Marine 4 and he's thrown into a mix of brand new talent, including the new Divas Champion, Paige. He goes out of his way to introduce himself and something about her hits him. Will there be more than a casual friendship or will things turn in a whole new direction on the road? (Appearances by Emma, DZ, and others!)
1. Chapter 1: Awesome Introductions

_Full summary: The Miz has returned from filming The Marine 4 and he's thrown into a mix of brand new talent, including the new Divas Champion, Paige. He goes out of his way to introduce himself and something about her hits him. Will there be more than a casual friendship or will things turn in a whole new direction on the road? How are they going to suppress their feelings for each other knowing that they can't be more than good friends? _

_May 26: Monday Night RAW - Knoxville, TN; Thompson-Boling Arena_

**Miz's POV**

I'M BAAACK. The most must see WWE Superstar is back on Raw (and SmackDown), ladies and gentlemen! I was gone for about a month and a half because I was filming the new WWE Studios installment of The Marine: The Marine 4 starring Mike "The Miz" Mizanin! Shameless plugs are shameless, even in my own mind.

I walk into the building with my rolling bags in tow. A few of the guys and production crew immediately greet me and nod in my direction. I give them one or two smart-aleck remarks to keep those smiles on their faces. It's good to be with these people again. I continue to trudge along reading the paper signs that point to the dressing rooms. I see my good buddy Nick, Dolph Ziggler, standing against the wall next to the room door. He lifts his head.

"YOU KNOW!" I yell what he always says when he walks down the ramp to him and his cheeky smile is paired with rolling eyes. We greet each other and run the small talk.

"Dude, so many things have changed since you left."

I know this, it's not like I haven't been watching any of the shows, but I let him go. I open the door and he follows behind me.

"A bunch of new guys and girls running around here. It makes me feel so old."

"It's time to start the teaching then, right?" I begin to unpack and set up my things in the assigned cubby on the left wall.

"Yeah, probably. I'm kinda sad AJ had to go though."

"Woah, what happened to April?"

"Nothing! Meant that she let her title change hands so she can get some time off, is all. It's different."

"Oh, okay. So we have a new Divas champion, huh? Paige, right?" I layout my trunks for the night, the grey and white ones should do.

"Yeah, NXT chick. She's been the buzz of the Divas Division. Won her first defense at Extreme Rules against Tamina."

Thanks Ziggy, I knew that too.

"That's awesome." I'm glad they're giving the Divas an actually opportunity, it's about time.

* * *

SHOWTIME! Five minutes before we go live. It's electric. My return is written like this-Kofi wins his singles match against Swagger, then I come out to give him a beat down for that hot, hot heat. Then, Ziggler comes running down the ramp to save him. Which would set up a tag match for next week. A slow start in my opinion, but working with my friends is always fun.

Everyone is ready in their gear and warming up for their matches. I'm near the interview area, heading towards the catering table for some water. I see the new Divas Champion, Paige, with a leather jacket on and the title clutched on her shoulder. I like her taste.

She turns to me and I can see her eyes flicker up and down, like a recognition scanner in her head. Cute face.

"I don't believe we've properly met, hello Paige, I'm Miz." I say reaching my hand out.

"Hi, Miz! I'm Paige-er, yeah you already know that," she laughs shyly, "it's awesome to meet you." She takes my hand for a moderately firm shake.

"And it's AWWWESOME to meet you too."

The music booms throughout the arena and that's the signal Raw has just begun. I prepare my ears for the fireworks and the pops resonate through my entire body. Gotta love that feeling. Afterwards, I can hear the fans cheer. As the CEO Triple H's music plays, it all turns to jeers.

I turn my attention back to Paige as she's watching the monitor. I can see the jittery expression on her face, the ultimate rookie giveaway. I remember when I used to have that anxiety back in the day.

"So uh.." I break her attentiveness, "congrats on becoming champ, champ!"

"Thanks! It still hasn't hit me yet quite honestly." Her British accent brings her cuteness factor up a few bars. It sounds soothing.

"Had that same feeling when I won the WWE strap. Don't worry kid, it's real and you're not dreaming."

Paige slowly forms a sly smile and I knew those words meant something to her. Feels heartwarming.

"Thanks, again. I-"

"Saraya!" Emma interrupts her and comes over with the happiest looking face in the building. Saraya is her real name, huh? It's pretty.

"Oh what's up, Miz, sorry if I broke something here." Emma has an accent too, Australian.

I smile at her, "Hi, Emma."

"We just have to go over our parts for the show really quick."

"No, no, go right ahead! That's fine with me. Maybe I can catch you after Raw or something?" I don't know what possessed me to say that, like we're going to continue our conversation later, but it is nice to say.

"Sure, I'll see you later then. Um, good luck in your match!"

She and Emma begin walking away in the other direction.

I stand in the same spot, "Actually, it's my return!"

"Oh, yeah, good luck returning tonight!"

"See ya, Miz!" Emma yells after her.

"Bye, girls!" I wave to them.

My head shakes in amusement. Those two are a kick.

Hmm, maybe it's the fact that I'm seeing a new face in the business, but there's something about Paige, or Saraya. She's so young in her career, I could teach her some new tricks and she could even show me something I don't know. I'm excited to be on the road again, especially if I can improve the talent around here. I'm definitely going to be watching what she does later...

* * *

**Paige's POV**

I get dragged to a large blue trunk of a container by Emma. I'm kind of upset that she pulled me away from The Miz. I feel like he actually wanted to talk to me, which is a new feeling around here-especially because he's a male Superstar. A lot of the guys are too stuck in their own head to say anything to the new talent.

"Alright, so in hour 2 we're gonna..."

Emma starts and I just take off into space. Normally, I'd be 100 percent focused with her, more so since it's Monday night, but I'm shaken. My mind is swirling around the would-be extensive conversation with Miz. So many questions for him too. I wonder how he handled carrying the WWE in his hands. There's a small part of me that is screaming because I'm terrified of failing to do so. I mean, it is only the Divas division but that's the reason why I'm at the top now-to restore what it has come to. Now I'm wishing AJ didn't take time off so she can help me with all of this. At least I have my best friends on the road...

But Miz.

Mike The Miz Mizanin.

Did he really want to talk to me again? I hope so. I could learn so much when it comes to speaking on the mic. Plus, he's not a bad-looking teacher either..

"HEY! PAIGE!"

I snap back to reality.

"Were you even listening to me?"

"I'm sorry Emma, I just-I was thinking about something."

"Something?...or someONE? Was it Miz, it was Miz right?"

She knows me too well so I nod.

"Woah, what did I interrupt back there?"

"Nothing! He just came up to me and we introduced each other. But that's the thing, Emma, HE walked up to me. I didn't have to awkwardly poke and prod for a reply."

"You should really stop thinking like that, Saraya. The fact that you have that," she points at the title on my shoulder, "means that you earned it. And you're welcome to talk to anyone. Get it?"

I love Emma, she's so straight-forward with advice. I always trust her intuition. But at the same time, we're not the same person.

"I know you're right, but it's still hard for me. Talking to Miz made my stress float away, I guess."

"Well, then you should talk to him more often if you feel that way."

"Yeah, I want to."

"Cool, but seriously Paige, we have to focus on the NOW."

"Alright, alright!"

Back to work for me.

* * *

_Leave a review if you liked it! I've already written the other chapters and they'll be up when I get some opinions on this beginning one ;) What do you think? Hit or miss?_


	2. Chapter 2: RamPaige

_Chapter 2! Enjoy and don't forget to review ;)_

* * *

_Monday Night RAW: Knoxville, TN - Thompson-Boling Arena_

**Miz's POV**

I walk through the black curtain as I just returned to Raw. Everything went according to plan, I missed that rush from the fans. The other three, Kofi, Ziggler, and Swagger-follow behind me and we all high-five each other. It felt good, hopefully the reception is the same. More of the crew welcome me back as I head towards the interview area for an impromptu promo.

Renee's there waiting.

"Welcome back, Mike!" she welcomes me as the commercials run. I give a smile to thank her and wait silently until they give us the go.

"Ladies and gentlemen, The Miz." Renee says as I enter, "now Miz, the we all just saw your return to Raw. What are your motives now that you're back?"

Here comes The Miz...

"Well Renee, I have huge plans coming in. And tonight I just wanted to make a statement. If Ziggler and Kofi are in my way then so be it. I'll run them down faster than anyone will ever expect. Then I'm charging for the WWE World Heavyweight Champion, my former NXT Rookie, Daniel Bryan. Bryan, if you're watching, I want you to personally know that your 15 minutes of fame will be over thanks to yours truly. Because I'm The Miz, and I'm...awesome." I walk off and let a sigh out in my head. THAT FELT GREAT. The camera is off me which gives me the chance to high-five Renee too.

The television monitor on the left catches my attention. Paige is being shown walking to the ring for her match up next, I assume. Awesome, just in time.

I decide to grab a water bottle while I wait. Her opponent, Summer Rae, makes her entrance. She also worked on The Marine 4 with me; such a bright personality, pun definitely intended.

Brief yes or no questions with some of the other guys rush pass me. A few moments later, I see a ready Paige make her way to Gorilla. She's in the zone, I can see the passion in her eyes. I smile at her not caring if she notices me there or not. She's pacing and jumping to get herself pumped. Then, I see her head tilt in my direction where her eyes make contact. I'm still smiling and she throws a small one back.

"Good luck, have fun." I quickly say, hoping she heard it. Just as the last word escapes my mouth, her entrance music booms and the fans pop. Within that second, she's gone through the curtain.

I turn back to the monitor to watch her entrance. She's still not shining through with full persona but the thought of her being "new" understands. There it is again—that something I can't seem to get a hold of. A certain quality that makes me more and more intrigued by her. It's weird, but it feels like I want to know more. I want to be close friends with her and we just barely met. It's damn magnetic.

I hope Maryse doesn't think of this in a weird way... Shit. I forgot she always calls me after my match and I'm pretty sure I missed like 3 calls in the time I've been standing here after my promo. I make my way to the dressing room and bury into my bag for my cell to call back.

"Hey babe, sorry I wasn't answering. I was caught up in some talk with the guys." Best to not upset about what the real reason was.

_"That's fine. You did and looked great out there! It was fun watching you."_

"Thanks babe."

_"Okay well I don't want to hold up too much of your time. Call me whenever you can, okay?"_

"Yeah, I'll probably text you when I'm leaving the arena and call you when I get to the next city."

_"Alright, sounds good. Je t'aime baby, muah!"_

"I love you Maryse...okay, bye."

End call. I love that woman, my wife.

I stare around for a monitor in the room. There's one in the far corner and I can see the Divas match going. I make my way for a closer view and watch Paige's in-ring style. It's aggressive and unique. I see her scream a primal scream, that must be her essence coming to life. Her modified scorpion lock is killer! Summer taps out and that's the bell. As she's handed her Divas title, a familiar look takes over her expression. She almost seems clueless as to what she's supposed to do as the victor. I mean, it's subtle. Only a trained eye could really tell, but that's one of the things I could help her out on-her confidence.

I nod in satisfaction. Paige's wrestling is better than what the other Divas try so I commend her for that.

Hopefully, I can catch her before she leaves. I wasn't sure if I was going to actually talk to her again, but it's inevitable now—I want to.

* * *

**Paige's POV**

The show is done and we're all wrapping up to move to the next city! We were in Knoxville tonight and now we're all headed to Atlanta for SmackDown. I was pleased with my match against Summer, she's one of my favorite opponents. The energy felt so great out there. But I know I still have so much room for improvement.

I pack my bag, all suited up as I wait for Emma. We travel together, but she's the one driving this week.

Leaving the Divas locker room, the backstage area is nearly empty. All of the big trunk containers are being rolled out into the equipment trucks. I stand in the middle of it all, still waiting. I dig into my pocket to check my phone. A bunch of missed calls, it's the norm these days.

"RamPaige!" Hands behind jolt into my back as I almost drop my phone.

I let out a loud yelp. "Holy shit!"

The mystery surprise-r gets into my line of vision and it's The Miz. The beat of my heart goes from a rapid hummingbird to a ticking-clock in a matter of seconds.

I feel myself blush. He looks fresh and clean with his crisp shirt and dark jeans. I notice his hair slicked back, but it's shorter than it was before he left. Probably because of the movie he had to film.

"Sorry if I made you shit your pants there!" He laughs as I blush even harder. I didn't, but I who says I wasn't close to?

"No, it's fine! These are my bad pants anyway!" I say to rebuttal, and we both laugh comfortably. How is it so easy to talk to him like this?

"So I watched your match. I gotta say, kudos to your wrestling, girl. It's great!"

I smile at his complimentary words. I've heard it a bunch of instances before, but it humbles me every time.

"Thanks Miz! That means a lot to me."

"You can call me Mike, if you want. You probably won't because Miz just sounds cooler."

It's true, I'll probably call him Miz for the rest of it.

He comes closer to me, until our bodies are about a foot apart.

"But other than that, I just wanted to tell you that I'm willing to give you any advice. I'm here if you need me to be. I'm sure the other guys are busy with what they have to do to talk to the rest of the new talent, but I'm open to you. "

That stops everything. Miz's words are so genuine, it's powerful. A ball of fire rises in my stomach like nothing I've ever felt before. His blue eyes are still locked directly on mine, but it's difficult to return such a soft look like that to him. The feeling in my stomach has reached into every vein and the heat is overwhelming. It feels like a mix of anxiety and excitement all at once. I just want to drop everything and give him a hug.

And so I do.

My toes are on the tips to reach him as my arms go around his thick neck and shoulders. At first, I can feel his hesitancy but I don't let go.

The words are stuck in my throat but I manage to let out what I want to say, "I've never had someone like you care for me...thank you."

I'm on the verge of tears and I probably look like an idiot but that doesn't matter. I feel his arms wrap around my back and I smile in relief, with my chin digging into his left trap muscle.

"You're absolutely welcome, sweetheart. It's really the least I can do."

His voice is the softest I've heard it. It's usually so over the top Miz, but in this moment it's Mike. I slowly pull my arms away as he does the same. A single tear drops from my eye and I quickly wipe it away before he sees it.

"Aww, Saraya," too late, "it's just me. It's not like I'm Shawn Michaels or anything."

"Shawn Michaels or not, I don't care. It's just the thought that counts. You didn't have to introduce yourself to me tonight, but you did. You didn't have to give me any attention at all, but you did."

I'm trying my best to let that one tear be the only one, but saying these words to him is making my sight blurry with emotion. I sniffle and wipe it off with my jacket sleeve.

His smile warms me again.

"I'm going to make sure you learn new things from me every day. And you know, a fair trade-off would be you showing me that scorpion lock."

The image of him trying my submission on another opponent is enough to make me giggle.

"All right? So no more tears. I can't stand when girls cry in front of me. I feel so helpless."

Miz throws an arm over my shoulder as we walk to the parking lot together. If Emma's still back there, she can take her time because I'm in no hurry at all.

* * *

_Next chapter will be up either Wednesday or Thursday :)_


	3. Chapter 3: Blueberry Muffins & Training

_So I'm currently writing Chapter 9 and this story has gotten intense, lol. _

_Anyway, hope you enjoy Ch. 3! Reviews are always welcome! ;)_

* * *

_May 27: Atlanta, GA_

**Miz's POV**

I arrive in Atlanta just before 5AM. Short drives for shows are my favorite. The hotel near the arena is where I'll be staying in tonight. I check in and get the room key. As I head up in the elevator, so many thoughts are flying in and out of my head. The first one is complete exhaustion—of course, I'm accustomed to it—the other one is getting the chance to see Paige again. I keep shaking the picture of me and her together away. I don't want it to be like that at all. Plus, she's only 21, too young for me taste. It's the magnetism again, I tell myself.

Make friends with her Miz, ONLY FRIENDS.

As I enter my room and close the door behind me, I let go of the bag handle, and plop forward into the clean cushioned mattress. Feels too nice.

I almost drift away at that moment...

_Wait._

I turn on my back to access my phone in my front pocket. With my eyes closed I put up to my face to call Maryse.

"Hey...in Atlanta...I'm in my room right now..."

_"Hey babe, you just woke me up."_

"Glad you had a chance to sleep."

She laughs on the other line,_ "Okay then, you get your beauty sleep my little baby."_

"I will and it will be, awesome."

_"Text me later then. Bye babe."_

"Bye babe."

End call.

Why am I always forgetting about calling or texting my own wife?

Before I can answer myself, the tiredness takes me away...

• 4 hours later •

My eyes creak open and the sun is shining through my window. I can feel my phone in hand. I raise it up to my face and it's almost 9AM.

Man, I wish I slept longer but the body clock is so used to short night sleeps nowadays. But that was one of the deepest 4 hour sleeps in the longest time. I almost forgot what I was doing or thinking about before I got into the room.

I rub my eyes with my palms and give a yawn.

"Morning Atlanta, home of WrestleMania 27. The most must see pay-per-view EVER."

Yes, I talk to myself. Who doesn't?

I groggily sit up on the edge of the queen sized bed and stare out the window. It's a beautiful day out.

I get up, grab a few things from my bag on the floor, and head to the bathroom to get myself ready.

* * *

**Paige's POV**

It's breakfast time as some of the WWE family are treating themselves to a free breakfast, including me. With a full plate in hand, I walk over to the table Emma's sitting at. She's on her phone as she takes a sip of coffee. I only had a few hours of sleep but it'll do.

"You know, I still don't believe any of the things Miz told you."

The mentioning of Miz just wakes me up a little more.

"It doesn't matter because I believe in them. When he's on-on, he seems like a dickhead, but the real Mike is the sweetest person in the world."

"Mike? You're calling him Mike now, huh?"

"Shut up..." I dig into a blueberry muffin.

"And what do you expect to learn from 'Mike'?" Her air quotations around his name were responded with an eye roll from me.

I chew and swallow before I reply.

"A lot of stuff! Promos are one and two, maybe more psychology. He's been in the WWE longer than the both of us combined, so he's full of information." I take another bite of the muffin.

"Okay, Saraya, you go ahead and have your fun. Just make sure you don't get too comfy with him, he _is_ married y'know."

I almost choke on that bite, but manage to gulp some water to put it down.

"What makes you think I would even try anything like that with him?!"

"Don't like act you don't feel anything for him. I can see right through your blushing cheeks."

Damnit. But I still wouldn't, it'd be so wrong to approach him that way.

"That doesn't mean any of what you're thinking is my motive to learn from him. Of course not, I would NEVER."

"Whatever, it's your call. Speaking of, your teacher just walked out of the elevator behind you."

I swiftly turn to see him head toward the breakfast station.

"What? Are you gonna go up and talk to him?" Emma asks as I return forward.

"No, I'm not. It's just good to see he had some rest is all.."

I continue to eat my food, feeling not so hungry anymore. I'm sensing him watching, the energy is like he's looming over me but I'm pretty sure he already left.

Emma starts with plans for later, seeing as though neither of us know what's happening on Main Event or SmackDown.

She stops in the middle of a sentence and something's off...

"RamPaige!" That same jolt goes through my back again but this time I don't yell, instead I bury my face in my hands and laugh.

Miz grabs a chair from another lone table and sits himself to my left. I can see him munching on a blueberry muffin, like I was. How adorable is that?

"Good morning, ladies. How was your drive here?" He asks to the both of us.

"Smooth sailing! Got here 'round 5:30 or 6 without much stop." Emma responds. She's giving me a look even though she's not looking at me and I know what it reads.

"Good, same here. Ready for Friday night SmackDown?" He takes a bite from the muffin.

"Excuse me, Miz, I'm just gonna go over there and get more coffee."

She stands and begins to leave.

He waves her an 'it's no problem' gesture as he chews. His attention is only on me now.

"Yeah, it'll be great a show. Especially here in Atlanta."

"This city will always have a special place in my heart..."

At the exact moment, we both point to each other and exclaim: "WrestleMania 27!"

Miz gives me a high-five with his food-free hand and we sit there, laughing.

"Alright kid, what do ya say later on when we get to the arena, we train and work a little in the ring before the show starts?" He's on the edge of his seat now, leaning in towards me like he's telling a secret.

I can feel the heat again.

"Wow, I'd love to! That sounds awesome!"

"Then it's a date," he winks.

Please don't do this to me...

Emma returns and sits in her chair across from me so quickly I thought she ran over here.

"Here Miz, I got you a cup. Prepared the Aussie way!" She sets down a mug in front of him.

"Thanks Emma. Here's a toast," he lifts it up to the both of us.

"Here's to...um..."

"Blueberry muffins!" I hold up the remaining half of mine from the plate to him as he flashes a cheeky smile.

"To blueberry muffins!"

We clink our breakfasts together as he sips from the mug and I take another delicious bite.

* * *

_Friday (Tuesday) Night SmackDown: Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena_

**Miz's POV**

It's 4 hours from show time, 3 from when the doors open for the fans. After breakfast, I decided to get a workout in then take an hour long power nap. It's amazing how my body takes it all in, I feel refreshed. I get to the arena early to train with Paige and hopefully she's not too far from me. I walk in from the side of the stage and see the empty arena's glory. I'm in comfortable shorts and a performance tee instead of my gear, so the feeling is close but not the same. I walk to the ring which has already been set up. The crew is currently preparing the technicalities—lighting, cameras, and titantron work among other things.

As I walk closer, I see Paige already there outside the ring and stretching on the apron. She's in some short-shorts and a tight shirt with her hair up in a ponytail. I can say we're ready to work.

"Hey Paige! Ya ready?" I prop my legs up next hers to stretch.

"Always ready!" She smiles that sweet smile.

She slides into the ring and tests out the ropes while I do a couple more stretches so I'm limber. A few minutes later, I slide into the squared circle myself.

"Alright, you probably know a lot more than I do so I'll shut up and we'll just work. Sound good?"

"Yep, perfect."

"Lock up," I say as we circle each other. And then, we go.

About 20 minutes of random sequences and repeating drills, we were spent.

I haven't wrestled a girl in a while, the frame size was the biggest difference. Other than that, she flowed with an ease that most of the guys could use. I was very impressed, but not surprised. This girl's a gem.

So we lie there in the middle of the ring, catching our breaths. Our bodies were facing opposite directions as our heads were next to each other.

"Good work, Paige. That was top notch right there." I say looking up at the lights which were blinking on and off as it was still being set up.

"Thanks Miz, I appreciate it. You were too."

I turn my head and see the sweat coming from her face, while she's still trying to maintain a normal breathing pattern. She's such a beautiful girl...

Hold yourself there, Miz..

Paige turns her head too, eyes looking down at mine, while I look up at the smooth chocolate-brown orbs staring straight through me. Then, I show my teeth in a goofy smile and she laughs.

I sit myself up and look behind me as she's still lying down. Quickly, I scramble for the cover.

I hook both her legs and shout, "ONE! TWO! THR-" then she kicks out.

She gets to her feet and grabs both of my legs, forming them around her right one, then rolls me over to my stomach. I'm selling the hell out of this move for her, yelling and trying to wriggle out but she has me.

She has me.

Paige hooks both of my elbows and tries to lift my chest from the mat but I'm too heavy for it. Instead, she releases the hold and falls backwards, laughing. Then I stand to grab her legs into a Figure 4 Leg Lock.

"WOOOO!" I yell, moving around like the Nature Boy Ric Flair. Now she's not even trying to fight me because she's laughing too hard.

I put her in the hold and wrench. She sells it for me for a few seconds, mixing her laughter and with shrieks of pain. Realizing how ridiculous she sounds, she taps out.

"DING DING DING! Ring the bell! And your NEWWWW DIVAS CHAMPION, THE MIIIIZZZ!" I stand and announce myself the winner.

As I'm celebrating, all I hear is Paige rolling around in laughter.

"Right here, baby! New Divas Champ! The CHAMP..IS..HERE!" I say to quote an old rival of mine.

Still on the mat, I drop to my knees beside her laughing just as hard as she is.

After we calm down and subside as best as we could, we were back to looking at each other again.

Damn near silence. It wasn't tension, it was anticipation of what we wanted to do next...

_STOP. Diverge right now, Miz._

I hold my hand out and let her sit up.

"Alright, the wrestling's good. Now I wanted to focus on your in-ring confidence." I cross my legs, she does the same in front of me, like a student.

"I could use a lot of that."

"Now, wrestling for the WWE is different, as you may know. There's a lot to think about in this ring that doesn't necessarily apply to the Indies style. For example, you can show confidence by slowing down the match and taking control. Well, this is from a heel standpoint but as a face, you can also slow it down by selling the move to where the crowd and everyone watching FEELS your pain before moving on to the next sell..."

I continue my lesson as Paige is sitting with every last bit of attention, solely concentrated on my words.

I let out everything I know about the ins and outs of the performance.

I can tell she's taking mental notes and really understanding it with the questions she was asking.

By the time I finish, they're rushing us back to the locker room to get ready for the show that starts in an hour and a half.

Time flies when you're having fun.

We get to the back and everyone's ready in their gear while we look like a couple of rookies in training. We begin walking to the dressing room area.

"Miz, I just wanted to thank you for this today. I learned a lot that I'm definitely gonna use in the ring."

"It was my pleasure, Paige. Anytime. The next lesson is gonna be all about cutting the perfect promo!"

"Awesome. I can't wait." She smiles again with a sparkle in her eyes.

The locker rooms for Divas and Superstars are right across from each other so we're left standing right in the middle of the hall.

As she's about to open the door, I turn her around and grab her into a safe hug. My arms form around her shoulders and chin resting on the top of her head. I can feel her face dig into my chest as her elbows curl under my arms.

"You're awesome, kid. Keep working hard and keep getting better. I believe in you," I say into her ear.

We part away a few inches as I let her look up at me.

"I will, thanks to you."

The world around us is moving so fast, but Paige is the only one I'm focused on in this moment. Looking down at her angelic face is so tempting, tempting to just take and connect lips right there...but I can't. We both know I can't, no matter how much I want to.

"You've thanked me enough times, I know how much this means to you," I say.

"No Miz, you don't. I'm gonna prove it you. I'm grateful for everything."

I say nothing else after that and just smile in gratitude. As we realize we're still in each other's arms, it's weird but I could really care less if anyone saw or thought otherwise.

I give one more tight hug and decide to land a kiss on her forehead before letting her enter the Divas locker room. Her cheeks flush red.

I sigh a deep sigh and enter the Superstars locker room to get ready for the show.

That feeling? I know what it is now.

I'm in love.

* * *

_Expect Ch. 4 on Friday/Saturday :)_


	4. Chapter 4: Post Match Thoughts

_I'm loving the reviews! Thank you for reading :)_

* * *

_May 27: Friday (Tuesday) Night SmackDown; Atlanta, GA_

**Paige's POV **

The show has already begun as I head to black the curtain. Things are going so fast from each segment to the next. It's this enormous repeating pattern of match, segment, commentary, promo, sponsor plugs, and Raw rebounds that encase around the match card.

While all of this is going, my stomach's worry isn't for my match, it's from The Miz.

The time we spent before the show started was so special and went about perfectly. He really is a good-hearted person. And that hug before we went our separate ways was enough for me to reach his face to kiss it. I could tell he wanted to, too.

He's a married-fucking-man. I can't blame him at all for not doing anything. Though, the small kiss on my forehead nearly pushed me to my breaking point. I'm pretty sure I morphed into a human tomato right then and there.

Does he see me like that? Does he want more from me?

The uncertainty to these questions is pure agony. I just want to know from his own mouth because being lead on is enough for a girl, but do it at work where I see the man everyday is just unfair.

I tell myself that I shouldn't get my hopes up, it's no big deal. This kind of stuff happens all the time in the WWE. People have relationships and hook-ups but they can't last, then it becomes really awkward. But I don't want it to end up like that with Miz, that's the last thing I'd want to do. Actually, the last thing I'd want to do is become a homewrecker. Maryse and Miz just got married, I'm not about to ruin what they have just because of my young lust.

_Let it go, Saraya, it's nothing. You're lucky he's teaching you about entertaining, let alone even talking to you. __Business. It's just business. I can't let it become personal._

I rid the idea from my head as I'm about to make my way to the curtain and enter the ring for a match against Tamina. The ring I was in a mere hours earlier wrestling The Miz.

I push out a breath. Here we go.

* * *

(Post-match)

Charles Robinson and I make my way to the back with my Divas Championship hanging off my left wrist. The result was that I won by disqualification when she didn't release me from the ropes, then proceeded with a bonafide beatdown. Or smackdown, whatever floats your boat. I got the chance to sell pain in my face and used every piece of advice Miz gave me. I hope he was watching because I was thinking of him the entire time.

My body is covered in sweat and debris from when I got thrown outside the ring to get my ass kicked. The light of the backstage area opens up to me.

I look around for any familiar face. No Emma yet. Where's Miz?

I turn to the right and see him in Gorilla, warming up. He's too focused for anything to bother him, so I shouldn't. So I stand looking at him and his toned body. Every muscle moving as he moves. He's looking really good...

I snap myself back. _Stop that, Saraya. _

Miz's music hits with the signature _"AWWWESOME!"_ and he's off. The boos are in his favor tonight.

"Hey Paige!" Emma comes up from behind me.

"Hey Emma, how was my match?" I ask, hungry for critique.

"It was good! You looked really hurt out there, made you sympathetic, which was perfect."

I'm elated, "Yay! Miz taught me a bunch of stuff about emotions and facial tweaks before the show so I used them."

"Oh, so THAT'S where you were! I was wondering why you arrived here early. Wow, that was quick."

We begin walking back to the locker room.

"We wrestled in the ring too, like a warm up."

She snickers, "You wrestled with The Miz, huh? _Wrestled_ with The Miz." She put an emphasis on 'wrestled' and nudges me with her elbow.

"It was nothing, Emma. Nothing at all. It can't be anything honestly..."

She sees my glimpse of distress as we enter the locker room.

"Saraya, I'm not telling you to do anything, but if you feel so strongly about him, I suggest to put an end to it before you do something you'll regret. This can't happen when there's a ring on his finger."

Emma's right. She's always right. But I say this again, we're not the same person. This is one of the most difficult things I've done and it doesn't even involve physically wrestling. Instead, my mind and heart are wrestling for the first time in my life, with no clear-cut winner in either situation.

* * *

(Post-match)

**Miz's POV**

Just got done with my match against Nick. Another Cleveland classic, The Miz vs Dolph Ziggler part 508. In seriousness, he's the most fun to wrestle just because of how he's one of my best friends.

We get to the back where a small celebration near the catering table ensues.

"Good job out there, man. Great finish!" He says about to drink water.

"Thanks. That was the best of our matches in my opinion." I punch him lightly on the arm as he nods in agreement.

"So uh...earlier, with Paige," he's talking to me in a hush-hush tone, "what's going on there?"

A pang in my heart drives the beat quicker. I knew somebody would see us.

"Uh, nothing. We trained in the ring and I gave her some advice on a few things."

"I'm talking about that intense hug, man. I stayed watching long enough to see you give a kiss on her forehead too."

"What? A gesture of friendship can't hurt right?"

"No not at all, it'd be different if that happened like in a week or two. But Miz, it's been one day. Only ONE day and you're already up on her like that?"

"Dude, it's not like that at all. At least I make sure it's not."

"What's going through your head, Mike? Stop anything before everyone involved gets hurt."

Nick might be the ultimate ladies man, or tool, as I sometimes refer to him, but he knows not to mess with people's hearts. Deep down, he's a really sensitive guy. I know he's right.

I breathe out, "I know!"

It's so damn frustrating. I continue, "I just, need time I guess."

"Don't lead her on. Leading women on and then pushing them away is the ultimate stab to the heart."

_Great, that doesn't help me at all._

"I'll keep that mind."

We go in our different ways for the rest of the show.

This situation is expanding faster than I thought. My main concern is the fact that it could just be pure lust. But how? What makes Maryse less of the person I fell in love with to make me go feel for someone I just met, for someone I barely know? She's an amazing woman, an amazing wife to me. I don't deserve her after being such a crappy and shady husband in these past two days.

No, I can't go on. Whatever is between Paige and I has to stay on the other side, it's business. If I can handle it, maybe she'll even be a good friend.

_But that has to be it._

I shake the idea away and head back to the locker room, chin down, alone with my thoughts.

* * *

_Things are stirring up. Check in before Raw on Monday for Chapter 5!_


	5. Chapter 5: Inevitable

**_This one's a little short, but TRUST ME Ch. 6 is gonna be worth the wait! Coming Wednesday! :)_**

* * *

**(Still Miz's POV)**

• 20 minutes later •

I leave the Philips Arena and go directly to the hotel right after I collect my things, without a word to anyone else. Still deep in thought. I'm trying to avoid every person right now. Alone time in the WWE is so sacred, this is one of the times I really need it.

Sliding the card key in and opening the door, an air wave of relief hits. There's no one to bother me.

It's Tuesday so that means no show until Saturday night, and the pay-per-view Payback in Chicago on Sunday. Knowing the company, I'll probably be booked for early morning media that day. So that leaves me some time to go home and refresh. Good, I'm excited to see Maryse's face again. The love of my life...right?

I sit on the edge of the bed with my face in my palms. Coming back, I didn't think of being in such emotional conflict at all.

If I could go back in time, I wouldn't have introduced myself to Paige, at least not on the day I came back. But no, Mike is too nice to have a giant ego like that. I don't know if that's a flaw or not. Our meeting would be inevitable though, was falling in love with her inevitable too?

I feel like the next time I talk to her, I wouldn't know to either completely dismiss her or grab her face and kiss her. I'm afraid a part of me would be fine in doing the latter. I haven't had this type of burning in my heart for anyone in forever. The last was when I met Maryse.

And seeing it now, it's weird to compare that I met both of these ladies backstage before a show. I don't know, maybe it's a thing.

Why was it that I was so excited to be back and barely two days in, I just want out? This sucks.

* * *

_May 29: WWE Performance Center; Orlando, FL_

**Paige's POV **

It's been a few days since the trouble I've thrown myself into has caused my head to go into a whirlwind. Ever since Tuesday night, I've had the opportunity to sort things out. I haven't seen Miz, which is good for the both of us. I'm sure he's thinking himself to death as I am.

The Performance Center has become a safe haven for me, making it a distraction tool. A lot of alone time as well as catching up with everyone from NXT, with no one to know what is going on between The Miz and I.

I continue my workout with fierce determination. My headphones and heavy music block the world out.

• 1 hour later •

As I'm leaving, one of the guys in the front hand me an envelope. He said that these were the plans in the upcoming weeks for me, along with the travel schedule.

I thank him and leave the building. The warm Florida weather is beaming on my skin. Like there's a use to that, I can only get so colored anyway. I get inside my car and open the envelope with anxiety.

A live show on Saturday, Alicia Fox vs myself for the Divas Championship at Payback this Sunday—knew that.

A new rivalry with Alicia Fox and Aksana. Emma and I are tagging for a few weeks then switch into a rivalry before SummerSlam. I'm digging this, a lot. I'm super excited now. These are the exact things I should be focusing on, not some guy.

I say this so easily to myself, but I know it won't be same when I'm actually talking to him. Which I have to, on Saturday and Sunday.

I'm praying that we can resolve all of this.

There's a huge chunk of me that misses him though. His blue eyes, wide smile, protective arms, and the goofiest sense of humor ever. He's been too sweet to me. I can't just let him go, no matter what. The Miz is the kind of person I need in my life because it's been nothing but positivity from the moment we met. He takes the nerves away. I'd be stupid to drop that just because I can't handle rejection. I won't.

_I can do this. I'm strong enough._

The heat is getting worse in the car so I decide to leave and head home.

* * *

_May 29: The Mizanin Home - Los Angeles, CA_

**Miz's POV**

"Babe, what's wrong with you? Last night you didn't want go out and now you won't even leave the bed!"

Maryse is at the door way as I peak through my eyelids. I'm lying comfortably on my side, hugging a pillow tight. I tilt my head towards the clock, it reads 10:43AM.

A groan escapes me,"I'm just...resting."

"This is the most you've ever slept. How did you mess up your sleeping?"

"I'm on the road again..." I manage to say and shut my eyes again.

"Mike, it's only been a week. You've done like 6 months without stopping before. Something's wrong. Did you get sick?"

I can feel her body settle on the edge of the bed. She places the back of her hand on my forehead.

"No...I didn't. I've been thinking a lot."

_Damnit, here we go._

"About what babe?"

"Stuff."

"Wow, okay." She playfully pokes at my temple.

"People..."

"Who?"

"You...and another person."

I vowed to never keep anything from her so here's me fulfilling that; the truth is going to hurt. I don't want to open my eyes and watch her reaction.

"Who's the other person?" Her words are methodical and her attitude dropped to a curious low.

I bite my lip, "Paige."

"Paige? As in the new Divas Champion Paige?"

I open my eyes, "Yeah."

"Why would you be thinking about her? Mike, tell me what happened _now_." She drags the pillow I was hugging and hits my head with it.

"Nothing!" I sit up, a little too quickly. "I introduced myself to her and told her I could become like a mentor since she's still new."

Her face softens as the anger dissipates.

"And I was thinking about what I can teach her next."

"Oh. Well, you made it sound like you guys did something."

That's just half the truth. She doesn't suspect anything out of the ordinary yet. I don't know if I can pull out the other half to her. I probably won't.

"She's so talented, Maryse, you gotta watch her. I'm just trying to make her even better."

"I know, I've seen her wrestle."

"You shouldn't worry about me and her babe. You're the only one I'll ever want." I caress her face and pull her in as I lean in for a kiss.

What number lie is that? I'm losing count and it's killing me inside.

We pull apart and her gentle smile radiates across her face.

One thing I do know, I'll always love my Maryse.

* * *

_Don't forget to review and tell your friends ;)_


	6. Chapter 6: Our Little Secret

_This chapter was fun to write lol _

_SPOILER ALERT: It's awesome ;) _

_Enjoy and please feel free to review!_

* * *

_May 31: WWE Live! ; Springfield, IL - Prairie Capital Convention Center_

**Paige's POV**

Emma and I arrive at the arena 3 hours before show time. It's a live event so the restrictions on what we do out there are almost entirely gone.

I have a match against Natalya and I couldn't be anymore pumped. She's one of my favorite opponents because she was willing to teach and round out my wrestling in the good old NXT days.

We walk to the locker rooms and note where each station is located if we need it.

"Hey, I'll catch you later, I gotta take care of something," Emma says. I honestly thought I'd be the saying those words. I smile and agree as she leaves down another hall. It's too early to change into my gear so I'm left to hang out. I'm expecting Miz to come up behind me and yell 'RamPaige!' any second now.

Nothing.

I feel so clueless.

All of a sudden, I see Miz on his phone in my peripheral.

"Miz!" He looks up at me and smiles.

I head towards him with bag still in hand. He's coming this way and I can't help but feel glad, because I missed him.

"Hey Paige, how are ya?" He says wrapping both arms around my shoulders. One of the most comforting feelings ever.

"I'm fantastic! I never got the chance to congratulate you on your match against Dolph on Tuesday. It was, well, awesome." I'm like a little kid fan telling him this.

"I left the arena early. But hey, thanks! I watched yours too, loved the facial expressions. You learn quick, don't you?" He winks. My heart flutters.

"I just learn from the best." I wink back at him. I'm pretty sure that looked awkward as hell from his standpoint.

Miz laughs, "Thanks."

"So what're you scheduled for later?"

"I have a match against Cesaro. How about you?"

"Against Natalya."

"Nice! That'll be a fun one."

"Yep. Hey Miz, when do you think I can get that promo lesson? I'm supposed to be on the mic at Payback."

"Hmm, maybe later. If not then, then definitely in Chicago."

"Alright, that's perfect."

We smile at each other. I'm not sure if he's noticed my infatuation, it's way too obvious even for myself.

It's killing me to know how he feels. Are we okay? Are we going to pretend that our feelings for each other don't exist? Because if we are, he's doing a damn good job.

Anything for alone time with him to talk this out...

* * *

**Miz's POV**

We're standing in the middle of the fast paced mess—déjà vu.

Paige looks so happy to see me. It breaks my heart to know I can't do the same with her. She only has me to focus on while I have a wife to think about. What I wouldn't give to have the both of them, but it just can't work that way.

And it's sad, I barely know anything about her life. She could tell me her entire twenty-one year story in a sitting and I wouldn't mind.

I need some alone time with this girl. It's hard to brush Paige away when all I really want to do is be by her side every day, guiding and protecting her. I won't let myself disappear just because I made a commitment to another woman. I can have girl-friends too. Maybe this can work out after all.

"So, where are you headed right now?" I ask.

Paige thinks for a second, "Um, I'm not needed anywhere at the moment so I was just gonna change and wait in the locker until it was close to show time."

"Wait, is that what you do every show?"

"I've done it more than once, yes. Why? Is it strange?"

"A little, I mean you could talk to so many people around here in the time we have."

"Well I'm still new so-"

"You're just shy."

Her cheeks get red in the cute way they do. It's like the signal that I said something to stir her up.

"Thinking about speaking to the other guys, you're right. I am shy. But it's different with you, Miz."

"Hmm... What do ya say we change into our gear and I'll let meet you outside your locker room door? Because we have a lot of speaking to do."

She makes a wide grin, like a kid who just got granted to buy the toy they've wanted for the longest time.

"You've got yourself a deal."

"Alright kid, I'll see you in a bit." I reach around her shoulders for a half-hug and start making my way to the Superstars locker room. With my back to her, I can feel her eyes burning through my body as I turn the hallway's corner.

• 30 minutes later (2 hours until show starts) •

I stand against the Divas locker room wall beginning to tape my wrists in black, as usual. Not all the way though, it's still too early.

A few seconds past then the large door opens.

Paige walks out in her signature attire of a purple colored top and bottom. Her leather jacket swinging on her right arm, as her boots are still untied; laces hitting the ground as she takes steps.

"C'mon, follow me," I grab her small wrist and take her to a somewhat secluded part of the hallway. Nothing suspicious of course, just away from most of the equipment. I stop when I see a trunk that reaches just under my chest.

"Okay, now stand in front of this..."she willingly follows orders, "Now jump!"

"What are you-AH!" I grab her waist as she hops in surprise which makes me do most of the lifting. She's light so it's okay.

She settles herself and her things on the trunk, "Miz, why am I up here?"

"So you're sitting but I think normal chairs are boring. Plus, I'm tired of looking down to talk you. I'd rather be looking up to see your face."

Paige is beautiful from any angle, but I've always loved when I'm looking up at girls. I see all of them and not just the top of their heads. The light above her hits where it seems like she's wearing a halo. I lean with my arms crossed to the left of her on the trunk.

I notice her title and put my hand on it, "Hey, this is mine. They should really change the name on it from Paige to The Miz."

She laughs out loud. A sound I love hearing. We settle down.

"So how was your week?" I ask.

"It was fine. Got a chance to get some good workouts in at the performance center. Nothing worth wasting your time to hear though."

"No, you wouldn't waste my time. I love hearing your voice. It's...what's the word? Calming I guess?"

"Aw, thanks Miz. Well how about you, how were your days off?"

"I got my beauty sleep, but it wasn't exciting either. I'd rather be on the road to get a thrill in."

"How's Maryse?"

A pang in my head flares a shot of anxiety, like I was just caught guilty.

"She's doing great! You know, just running her business from home."

"That's cool."

"Yeah, she actually mentioned you. She thinks you're really talented!"

"Really? Wow, that's so awesome to hear! Tell her thanks, that means a lot."

I can't help but notice her lip piercing and how she moves it around when I talk. With that said, I can't help but notice her lips either. I think she knows I've been staring at her mouth, she stops messing with the ball piercing. The tension is getting worse. Is there anybody around us? All I want to do is reach up for her face and kiss those lips.

I gulp hard and shake my head, "Ugh, I'm sorry Paige."

"No no, it's okay. What's wrong?"

"It's just...I'm trying to not do anything I'd regret later."

"Were you going too...?"

"Yes, Paige, I was gonna try and kiss you." It's out there now, I can't take it back.

"Miz, you shouldn't be thinking like that."

"Yeah, I know."

"It pains to me to say that because it's not like I would've pushed you away," her voice gets rough and quiet, "I'm only protecting you."

"I appreciate that, I really do."

So she wants to kiss me too. This is frustrating.

I check over my shoulders like people are watching us. Only a few others pass across the hall but nearly nobody.

As I turn back, I feel Paige's hand on my left cheek. Her gentle touch stops me in my tracks. I'm left to only look up at her eyes. I inch myself closer to her dangling legs. My right hand makes its way to her upper back, wondering if she'll make the first move. I apply pressure on her skin and she starts leaning in. We're centimeters apart as I try to make her jump down.

Our faces still close, I whisper, "Jump down. Trust me."

She does and I catch her at the waist for support.

Paige is still holding onto my cheek with the lightest sense of touch. Her body backs and leans on the trunk as I'm grabbing at her slim hips. I rest my forehead on hers, eyes closed. I'm still fighting whether or not I should do this. I can hear and feel her breathing against my jaw. I'm holding mine.

I gulp again.

"Paige..." my voice is near mute, "our little secret."

"Just kiss me," she whispers.

That's when I lose it. I force my mouth against hers so hard, I swear her head hit the trunk. But she doesn't pull away. I breathe out through the nose as our lips touch. A euphoric energy surges within my stomach through my mouth. It's hard to be gentle with her when this amount of passion is taking over every part of my body, even to the fingertips. I squeeze her hips, she tilts her head back in surprise. I hear her let out a sharp breath.

I return to her, making sure to get a bite. I can feel the coldness of her piercing against my lower lip. Her mouth is soft and perfect, moving just as fiercely as mine.

Finally, I place my forehead back on hers to let ourselves breathe. Her neck muscles are tense, forcing and lunging for more. My left hand reaches up to her neck and messages it to calm her down.

"Paige...we won't tell anyone about this okay?" I open my eyes to see the pain of desire in those orbs.

She nods in my grip, then gives a gulp, "Tell me there's more. I want more."

"I promise. Come meet me after the show. Drive with me to Chicago."

I realize that's the only place we can be alone, on the open road with no one to see us. I'm excited at the thought.

"I will, I will." She bites down at her lip.

That gesture is enough for me to take her to a part of the arena where nobody can find us, but I control myself.

I lean in for one last slow kiss before we part.

My lips tingle as I smirk at her. Paige shyly tucks a strand of hair behind her ear as she's burning red now. I grab the jacket and title from the top of the trunk to carry them as we walk up the hall.

This _can_ work, as long as no one but us know...

* * *

_Ooh told you guys it'd be good :) Chapter 7 coming this weekend!_


	7. Chapter 7: Bliss

_Enjoy!_

* * *

(1 hour before show starts)

**Paige's POV**

I don't know what to do with myself. I'm in utter shock. My hands and legs are shaking from the ecstasy. If someone told me Miz would be kissing me the way he did tonight I'd surely question that, but it happened; I couldn't be more happy.

With happiness, also comes paranoia. It's 'our little secret', he says. I've never hidden anything like this but now I feel as if I've just stolen a national treasure that I can't return. I don't want to be waving around the fact that Miz somewhat belongs to me—I'll try not to—but I'm so damn elated. I'm giddy which would cause people to wonder. Then what? I'd have to say it's nothing when it definitely is something, and it's something so scandalous.

Should I feel dirty? Should I be feeling rubbish? No, nobody will ever know about this. We can get away with it for some time.

But the way Miz handled me, I've never felt more of a woman like I did in those precious minutes with him. He didn't treat me like a child, seeming most do. I've never had a guy touch me, or I let touch me. I felt like a whole different person.

When he had his forehead on mine, I knew he was contemplating the righteousness of the situation. He still did it. In that moment I knew he felt just as strongly for me as I do him, no doubt.

Miz's lips, so indulgent, especially when I know I couldn't have them in the first place. The sensation in my body he made come out was nothing short of orgasmic. My knees buckled when he began sucking at my lower lip.

I want that feeling again.

_God if anyone I knew caught me thinking like this..._

After we walked up the hall, relief hit me when there were no familiar faces around that could have been watching our escapade. Miz handed me my title and jacket as I was about to enter the room. He came really close to my ear and said, "I'll see you later Paige." I smiled at this as I watched him walk with a sense of victory. He turned his head my way and threw an arrogant smirk before he went down another hall.

That man can have me whenever he wants.

So I sit in the Divas locker room, secluded in a far corner and hunched over staring at the floor in front of me. I have my left ankle over my right knee; foot shaking at a ludicrous rate. I'm nervous and antsy, but not for my match at all...

I can hear the other Divas quarrel in the bathrooms and showers behind me. Talks about their matches and their men. I don't belong with any of them, I'm pretty sure they mentally slap me when they congratulate on my match wins. I stare at the title on my right which is in the locker. I hold so much prestige in the form of a giant metal butterfly.

My attention quickly turns to the door, opened by Emma.

"There you are! Been looking for you Paige." She makes her way over, dressed in gear. I don't know if she's on the card, but that's the thing in the WWE—you've got to be ready for anything.

"Hey Emma." I say as calmly as possible.

"People are filing in right now. It's gonna be fun."

"Yeah? I bet!" Hope that didn't sound overdone.

"I ran into The Miz on my way here," the mentioning of his name flares the fire in me, "and we talked a little bit. Y'know, he said that he's looking forward to the Divas Division making a much-needed comeback this year, all thanks to wrestlers like me and you."

I can't help but revel in that, "Aw, that's so nice of him to say."

"Yeah. None of the other guys talk so highly of the Divas like him."

And I appreciate him for that.

"See? Told you I can learn from him. Miz actually wants to help me!" Among other things he wants...

"Okay, okay. I believe ya now. You're lucky Paige! I have Santino to do the same but it's hard learning when I'm laughing all the time."

I can imagine; Santino's probably the funniest guy in the WWE.

"Well, we both got lucky to be around good people. I'm excited," I say gleaming.

For the first time in ages, fear—in any sense— is far from my mind.

* * *

**Miz's POV**

I stand in front of the black curtain marked with a white X. This is where I I am the most focused. No time to play games, no time to worry about anything else. The people on the other side are stirring.

_"AWWWESOOOME!"_

I push through as the lights engulf my vision, the fans fill my hearing, and I know—this is where I'm the most alive.

My heart beats its loudest.

"Making his way to the ring, from Cleveland, Ohio, weighing in at 231 pounds, THE MIZ!"

This sensation can't be compared to anything. And this is the only beginning of a great night.

I feel invincible. Nothing can bring me down.

* * *

(Post match)

Breathing heavy, tired, and in pain—gotta love it. I make my way to the back in need of a cold towel and bottle of water. My match against Cesaro was fun for me. That swing threw me for a spin; pun definitely intended.

I trudge slowly to make sure everything is moving the way it should... _Yep, all is well._

As I travel the floor in front of me, I'm stopped. Two black Doc Marten's enter my vision range. I angle up the person's legs and smirk as I see the pale skin.

Paige is smiling wide in front of me, one fist clenched, another with an icy bottle. Her arms are ready to extend for a celebratory hug.

"Awesome match Miz!" She reaches around my neck, I return with a supporting hand on her lower back. I lost the bout anyway, but I could care less.

"Thanks Paige," I say, some of her hair sticks to my face as we pull away. She quirk-ly removes the leftover strands. Adorable.

"Here's water for you." She hands me the bottle and I take a giant gulp. Ah, perfect.

I look around us, making sure suspicion is out the window.

"Lay low, kid."

She knows exactly what I mean, "Oh yeah, sorry." She increases the space between us. I hate making her cautious around me, it isn't right.

"The show's almost over, don't worry," I wink and walk past her to the locker room. _Was that slick or what? I still got it._

* * *

**Paige's POV**

I stand in the garage way near the parking lot, alone. I'm way too familiar to this feeling. I broke it to Emma that I'd be riding with Miz to Chicago and she took it without conflict so I'm glad. The weather is cooling down. I'm also glad I decided to bring my black beanie this week.

"PAAAAAIGE!" A yell from afar perks my ears. That voice is unmistakable—unMIZtakable. That was horrid, I apologize...

I notice Miz speeding to get to me. I get so bouncy around him, I worry myself sometimes.

"Hey, you ready to get outta here?" He jingles the keys to the car in front of his face and rolls his bag to stand up.

"More than ready."

"Alright then let's GOOO!" We walk out to his car as the wind graces my skin.

It's around 1AM so the fans who would normally wait for the Superstars and Divas to leave, have left. Good.

We reach his rental car and he opens the trunk. I throw my bags in and wait for him to unlock the front passenger door.

The car is compact but there's enough room to relax. He wasn't expecting to have a travel buddy anyway.

Miz and I enter as he slides the key into the ignition. He turns on the light and is fixated in my direction. I look to my right for anything out of the ordinary.

"No I'm looking at you, Saraya."

The way he says my name sends a chill up my spine.

His blue eyes almost glow under the orange-tinted light. Shadows reveal and hide portions of his face that softens his expression. I try to look at him in the eyes without shrinking into a ball. I get intimidated easily by men like him. I stand ground but I can't resist the curl in the corner of my lips.

"Miz, what?" I laugh awkwardly.

"Nothing, I'm just taking this in. You're...beautiful."

"Thank you...you too?" We share that laugh together. Fluffy compliments are not my forte.

He takes my hand, "I hope it's okay that I really want to know more about you."

"Of course." I don't let people in my life so easily, but my intuition senses that I can trust him. Such a rare occasion.

Miz flips the light off. It's dark and I can barely see him but I feel his hands take my face in for a kiss. I'm still not keen to this so I jerk away in surprise.

"Woah, I'm sorry. Did I do something wrong?" He asks.

"No no! It's me. I'm not completely used to...well, kissing."

"Really?"

I nod.

"Really? _REALLY?_"

Fell into that trap.

"I'm kidding. But it seemed like you knew what you were doing when you kissed me earlier."

"That was when I had time to prepare myself."

"Okay well, I suggest prepare yourself for every moment from now on because you might not know when I'll kiss you again."

"Hey wait, what if _I_ wanna kiss you?"

From the remaining splashes of night light, I see he raises an eyebrow and puts on the cockiest smirk.

"Paige, I'm _always_ ready for you."

I'm happy it's dark, he can't see my cheeks get hot from that response. Miz starts the car and leaves the Prairie Capital Convention Center parking lot.

The next 3 hours are going to be bliss.

* * *

_Please let me know what you think! Hope you all enjoy Extreme Rules tomorrow night ;)_


	8. Chapter 8: Everything I Am

_*Happy dances for Chapter 8*_

* * *

**Miz's POV**

Not even 5 minutes away from the arena, I spark the first conversations.

I can sense her timidness.

"Paige, or Saraya... Wait, which one are you more comfortable with?" I ask, keeping my eyes on the road.

"Paige, because that's literally my name now."

"Okay I'll call you Saraya, because that _is_ your name."

"That's fine, MIKE."

"Oh jeez, that's kind of weird, nevermind Paige."

She lets out a small sound of a laugh, "Yeah, exactly."

"Speaking of names, I've been thinking up of puns for yours."

"Yeah? Lay them on me."

I stop at a stoplight and list them on my fingers, "Paige Rage, —The Last Paige—Paige is of legal age—standing on the Paige stage—ready to Paige engage."

She explodes, laughing the hardest I've heard her to the point where she's not even making a sound.

I laugh with her, "Good, right?"

It takes a moment but she responds, "I love them!"

I grab her hand and give a squeeze. She rests her free palm on ours without hesitation. I lay my eyes on her smiling face as the light turns green on her skin. The sight of Paige in her beanie is too cute to look away but I continue to drive.

All of a sudden, my phone rings in the cup holder under the radio. I already know who it is.

So does Paige. She lets go of my hand.

_Ouch, that stung. _

I grab the iPhone and slide to answer, "Hello?"

_"Hey babe! Are you still at the arena?"_

Paige is looking away out the window as Maryse makes her presence known.

"No, I'm actually driving right now. Going to Chicago for Payback."

_"Oh okay. Call or text me when you get there."_

"Will do."

_"You're driving, that's all I wanted to say. So bye babe, I love you!"_

"Bye Maryse, I love you too."

End call. I return the cell to its previous position, then sigh. That was uncomfortable; the energy suddenly becomes uneasy.

"Hey Paige?"

She turns to me with glossy eyes, "...Yes?"

_You really did it now, Miz_

"I'm sorry...you had to, uh, go through that." How am I supposed to save this situation?

"Don't be...it's my fault."

"No it's not—"

"How can you bear it Miz?" I get interrupted, "I've always wondered why you had no problem in coming onto me like this. You're married. What made you introduce yourself to me back at Raw anyway?" She asserts this in a rushed yet cracked voice.

Before I answer, I decide to turn into a plaza where the parking lot was closed. I park the car under a light and turn on the dashboard light as well. It's quiet in here. I gulp hard and clench my jaw. To look Paige in the eyes scares me.

So I don't.

"You wanna know the truth Paige? I honestly have no idea what possessed me to go up to you. Maybe it's just the way you look but no, it isn't just that..."

My throat is closing in. I've never been the best at expressing my emotions.

"When I met you, I wasn't expecting to be so interested in who you were, okay? It just...became more because...I don't know. It's hard to explain. I'm drawn to you, that's all I can say."

I slowly make eye contact. She looks away and blinks, that's where the tears drop. "...Why? Why me out of every other girl you know?" She wipes her cheeks dry.

"Paige, I'm not taking advantage of you. Every part of me genuinely wants to be close with you."

"I still don't get _why_, Miz. I never thought in my life that I'd be the other woman. I hate this fucking feeling."

"If you wanna go back to treating me like a total stranger, if that's what you want, then I'll pretend none of this ever happened..."

"Is it love? Do you love me? Maybe that'll make it easier for you. Just answer that question for me, Miz."

That actually makes it so much harder. My mind is fighting with my soul. I don't want the words to demean what I truly feel.

I'm in love with her.

...But can I say that with a 100 percent of my heart?

Her eyes are locked and desperate for the answer. To let the tension linger and put the weight of the world on her shoulders because of my own confusion causes her so much pain. I don't want to hold it in anymore.

"Yes..." I whisper, "Saraya, I'm in love with you."

She's lost for words.

There I said it, and I mean it.

"I've never been in love more than once in my life, but you hit me so hard that it I'd be stupid to forget the feeling. At first, I was in denial but what good is doubting the heart?"

I see nothing but tears and I try so hard to suppress them.

"Paige, you're not like the rest of them. I came up to you because I was hoping for a chance to make friends with a girl who could make me smile at the sight of her. And then, knowing everything about her too? That's what I wanted, because the girl I met was going to give me more than just her time...She was going to give me the love I've been searching for."

As I spill myself to her, I know I'm also telling the truth to Michael Gregory Mizanin.

All my life I've always wanted to love and be loved equally, it was nature.

When you meet _the one,_ somebody else can never compare. I didn't realize that when somebody can be better than _the one_, their love is actually stronger.

Maryse is the one. Paige is that somebody _better_ for me.

It all makes sense now.

I look closely at Paige. She's sitting forward and crying in her hands, sniffling while trying to control a sense of breath.

_Inconsolable_, I thought.

I put a hand on her back to try to comfort her. Are these tears supposed to be good or bad?

"Paige, if you never wanna see me again, I understand. I—"

"Miz..." she snaps from her crying. Her hands leave her face. I see black eyeliner and mascara ruined. Eyes as red as her cheeks.

"I love you too..."

The phrase I was uncertain of, that I wasn't sure if I was ready for, felt like a dream to hear.

I'm overflowing with relief. I reach for her face and pull her to mine.

My lips are firm and steady compared to her soft and weak mouth. She surrenders herself to me. She lets go of every insecurity within. Her mouth stays still as I maneuver my jaw forward. My palm gets more of a hold of her head as fingers intertwine with locks of hair, and thumb rubbing the area behind her ear.

I'm here, Paige. Don't be afraid.

Then I feel her respond with a solid surge. Her mouth begins to regain energy to let me know she's there too. We carefully part with an audible smack, foreheads touching. I hold close this girl that just became mine.

That kiss was for us. For what we're going to have to face. For the future ridicule by everyone who can't look at us the same. For her—to let her know I'll never leave her side.

"I promise...I'll love you with everything I am," I whisper.

My arms lift to take both sides of her face, "Paige, I love you with everything I am."

This promise, all sealed with what might be the most important kiss in my life.

* * *

_Aww Miz, you're such a softie. Hope you liked this chapter! Extreme Rules was pretty awesome right? ;) Don't forget to review!_


	9. Chapter 9: Love Like New

_YAY CHAPTER 9_

_It's shorter but I'll make it up to you guys, Chapter 10 will be up tomorrow ;D_

* * *

**Paige's POV**

I'm filled with an overplus of emotions. I can't talk because I'm still deep in thought. I'm forced to collect myself and comprehend everything that just happened in such a short amount of time. My heart is heavy and light simultaneously. What have I gotten myself into? I didn't know events like these can happen in a span of 6 days. I'd rather live in a soap opera because my real life is more dramatic than soaps could ever be.

I stare outside the car window. My cheeks are still warm from the crying I did. The continuous empty roads seem to calm my thoughts for time being. Two hours ago, Miz admitted he was in love with me. Two hours ago, I was so close to hating his guts forever.

_But I could never bring myself to that._

Didn't I want this to happen? Then why do I feel like shit?

I lift my head from the window to look at him. He's focused on the road, which is lit up with only a pair of headlights. Sympathy reads across his eyes. I want to know if he regrets his words. I want to know if what he feels for me is real. I don't want to be hurt if he doesn't mean it. I'd rather take a hundred bumps in a row than be heartbroken through a lie.

Besides, I'm too young to know what being "in love" means. I've got the rest of my life to figure it out but fate decides now?

I want to believe him. I do believe him. _Please let me believe him._

"I love you..." I say quietly, hoping he didn't hear.

But he did. Miz grabs my left hand and squeezes it again. This time he brings it to his dry lips to kiss, "I love you."

"Miz, can you explain what love is?"

By the wrinkle in his face, he's caught off guard.

"Well...love is...love. It's letting another person know you'll be there for them through the good and bad. Love is having trust in someone who they will never leave, or hurt them." That reply was like he was reading my unsaid worries.

"Love is what I have for you. Know that's real, Paige. Like I said, I can't explain what I feel. It's just there and I call it love."

Mike loves me. That's enough...right?

"I don't know if I can do the same for you, Miz. I want to but you're—"

"I'm married," he gives a sigh, "I'm hoping, with time, you can love me as much as I love you..."

Frustrated, I yell, "Miz, you can't say I don't love you!"

I lower my voice, "I love how you make me feel so free, how you let me be myself. How you turn me bright red at a drop of a word. I've never had a guy make me completely obsessed with him. I love you, I really do—"

"Then I don't understand why—"

"I can't fully love you because I wasn't yours first..." _There. There's the truth._

I continue, "Someone else stole your heart before me. I know her name, her face, her story. And I don't know what you see in me to think that I could ever be better."

A giant weight lifted from my shoulders. These were the exact words I've been repeating to myself for the last 2 silent hours.

"Wow...Paige..." He shakes his head, questioning it all.

I control the lump in my throat while the sound of the road beneath us overlays silence.

"...My love isn't reusable, Paige," Miz breaks the lingering quiet. "You gave me a reason to love like new. It was never second-handed. I love from a new space in my heart that _you_ opened. You two are nothing alike, please don't compare you to her. The space you made for me to love you just so happened to be bigger."

My heart is so weak. These words are what I needed to hear, what I needed to believe him. I could cry but I'm dry short of tears. No more for tonight, please.

This love is real.

"Thank you, Mike—for that space in your heart... I love you."

"I love you too, Saraya-Jade." He grabs my left hand again, as his warmth transcends through my skin.

Every fiber of my being is gone of doubts.

Michael Mizanin loves me.

And I'm in love with him.

* * *

_Aww, they're in love. So what do you think is going to happen between Miz and Maryse? Or between Miz and Paige? Keep reading and reviewing to find out :)_


	10. Chapter 10: Tough

_Ch. 10 as promised :)_

* * *

_June 1: WWE Payback - Chicago, IL: Allstate Arena _

(1 hour before start time)

**Miz's POV**

I stand near the interview area backstage talking to Nick about tonight's pay-per-view. I have a singles match against Kofi Kingston which is labeled as "extra" on the card. Dolph is about to head off for his Kickoff Pre-show bout versus Jack Swagger to determine the number one contender for the United States Championship.

"Hey, so someone told me they saw you driving off with Paige after the Springfield show."

"Yeah? I did, so what?"

"Didn't I tell you to quit all of this while you were ahead, man?!"

At this point, my relationship with Paige is worth so much more to me than a suggestion. I don't care if everyone knows. Last night's car ride proved to strengthen rather than break us.

"Yeah, and I obviously didn't listen to you. I know what I'm doing, man."

"You think that but I think you're just a fucking lunatic. What about your _wife_, Maryse?"

"I'll cross that bridge when I get to it."

I feel a sudden energy emerge to my right.

"Hey guys!" It's Paige. "You two prepared for Payback?"

She asks with definite perk and cheekiness. The sight of her throws a smile on my face.

"Yeah Paige, getting there." Dolph replies with an obvious uneasiness. "Hey uh, I'll catch you later, man.." He says and walks past us.

I turn the attention to the raven-haired champion by my side.

"Hey what's up, Saraya?"

"So Miz, those promo lessons could come really handy about now."

I can see a twitch in her face that signals anxiety.

"Oh yeah! You're on the mic tonight, aren't you?"

"And I was promised one, remember?" She replies with an expecting eagerness. Her eyes flare under the white light.

"Aww, of course. Should we take this somewhere a little more private?" I playfully nudge her arm and wink. Making her giddy is one of my favorite pastimes.

Paige lets out a laugh and rolls her eyes, "Yeah, best not to draw attention to the both of us here."

So we decide to move to a wide hallway. We stop near the end where there's another equipment trunk. This time I jump back to sit on it instead of her.

"Alright kid, give me what ya got."

"What do you, um...off from what?" She stands a foot in front of me with a lost expression.

"Okay," I clear my throat and form my fist like I'm holding an invisible microphone, "Paige, tonight you go against Alicia Fox for the Divas Championship. How are you preparing for this match?"

I hold my fist out in front of her chin.

She takes a moment to collect herself.

"Aaand, that's where you make the first mistake!"

"What is it?!"

"First thing I'll tell you—you've got to be in full persona mode from the moment your interview starts even when you haven't spoken yet."

"I was getting there, it's just _you._ You make me nervous."

"Wait, I thought I made your nerves go away!"

"Not these nerves, Miz. I mean, you're so good at this! And I feel like it'll be harder trying to impress you this time." She adjusts her left shoulder where her championship sits.

With my fist still under her jaw, I uncurl my fingers and grasp her chin, "Paige, you've got so many other people to prove wrong. I already know how talented you are, don't worry about what I think. Remember the people you have to make believe in you."

I let go and she looks down with a soft smile.

"So Paige, how are you preparing for your championship match against Alicia Fox tonight?" I repeat and hold the 'mic' to her.

"Tonight's pay-per-view has the perfect title—Payback. For the past few weeks, Alicia Fox has been taking her sweet opportunities to make sure I can't fight her. From the backstage attacks and her making other Divas do her dirty work, I'm sick of it. Tonight, the only thing she'll make the other Divas do is hold her while she cries after taking an ass-kicking from me. I'm going to get my Payback, Miz, and I'm going to walk out exactly how I walked in—as your Divas Champion."

The last sentence had a certain grit that I can tell has been newly added in her character. Her intensity is nothing short of beautiful.

I purse my lips and start a slow clap, "That...was...AWESOME."

Paige's anger softens and melts into a smile, "Really? How'd I do?"

"You were—you're great! I don't see why you need my help."

"Well, that was like an interview. I'm going to be in the ring before the match and they gave me time to talk about how I won't settle for being underestimated and all that."

"The only piece of advice you really need is to believe in every word you say. Make it true so that the fans can relate with you."

"Yeah? And what if I draw a blank?"

"Always have a last line ready to pull out and finish the promo. Other than that, you have to use references from the storyline to add. Keep it entertaining. Keep it relevant."

She bites her lip in question. By the look on Paige's face, I can tell she's taking the information and applying it inside her head.

"Okay, will do."

* * *

_WWE Payback - Chicago, IL: Allstate Arena_

**Paige's POV**

I stand in the middle of the ring facing camera side. With a microphone in hand, my hands are trembling. The fans are cheering but it's difficult to focus on them. As my entrance music draws and fades out, I'm given the go-ahead to speak. I lift the black piece of equipment to my mouth.

"Ever since I became the youngest Divas Champion, my entire life's worth of dreams have come true in front of my eyes. But in the back with the rest of the Divas, it has become my worst nightmare..."

_Keep it real._

"There's an enormous target on my back and every one of my competitors has made sure they had a chance to take a hit. I'm here to tell the WWE Universe and those jealous Divas in the back that I won't stand for it—no. Instead, I'll fight for it. I'll fight for my championship and I'll fight for every person who's counting on me. This division is about to get a wake-up call because I am NOT one to be underestimated. WWE Universe, I will be YOUR champion, and defend it with pride, for a long time!"

I release my arm and hold up the title with the other.

The fans are on their feet, cheering. Stress leaves my body and I try not to smile too much from this feeling.

Alicia Fox's music booms through the arena. Now I can focus on what I love the most, the wrestling.

* * *

**Miz's POV**

I watch from the Superstars locker room. Paige just did one hell of a job! I'm proud of her. In her posture, I could see a piece of myself when she spoke.

As Fox and Paige lock-up, my phone starts ringing. I quickly run back to my bag to grab it.

"Hello?"

_"Babe! I'm watching Payback and I just saw Paige."_

Maryse phones in and I'm surprised at her topic of conversation.

"Oh, cool. So what'd you think?"

_"I think she did a really good job. Did you help her with promos?"_

"Yeah! Before the show started actually."

_"Well, I could tell. How is she?"_

"She's getting the flow of it all. I feel like her mentor." Among other things...

_"That's great babe! Keep it up. Oh, and your match against Kofi was good too."_

I laugh. She's focused on Paige instead of me which is ridiculously ironic, "Thanks babe."

_"Alright, I'll let you go. Text me when you can, okay?"_

"Of course. Love you."

_"Love you too!"_

End call.

Wow, did that just happen? Again: ridiculously ironic. I return to the monitor to watch Paige and Fox go at it.

She's moving really well in the ring. Alicia Fox is an athlete to watch out for as well, so this pairing can put on above average matches.

Fox executes a big body drop and Paige hits the mat, hard. She managed to get to her back but the back of her neck wasn't far behind, hitting the canvas. On screen, it doesn't look out of the ordinary but to the wrestler's eye, it's brutal. I can tell she's hurting. She clutches the back of her head as Fox goes for a pin. Just two and the match continues.

_Damn, this girl's tough._

Back and forth action goes on for a good 10 minutes before Paige hits her modified scorpion lock to retain her Divas Championship.

Great showing from both of these girls.

I worry, her eyes show she's not all there. Paige doesn't even take time to celebrate before walking up the ramp, gripping her neck. Now I know something's wrong.

I have to get to her. I bolt out of the Superstars locker room and hurry to the curtain.

* * *

_More unfolding events in this story! It just keeps getting better. Please review! :)_


	11. Chapter 11: Just A Small Scare

_Happy Monday :)_

* * *

**Miz's POV**

I'm frantic. I just need to make sure she's okay. I get to the backstage area right where the ramp stops. My heart is pounding with concern.

The show continues as her entrance theme fades out. Paige is trudging slowly in pain to the back as officials crowd around her.

"Paige!" I attempt to move through a number of men in black polo shirts. I near her body as she tries to lift her neck to me but winces.

"Are you okay? Can you move everything?" I ask.

Her left hand is still on her neck, "Yeah I'll be fine...I just bumped so wrong."

I guide her to the trainer's room as they prepare a seat. She carefully sits down and I grab a chair to situate right next to her.

I rub her back. "Once you came down from that backdrop, I knew something was up."

Paige hasn't tilted her neck as she looks at the floor in front of us. "Yeah? It happens though."

"And you finished the match like the champ you are. I'm proud of you, kid," I say quietly.

She tries to look to me, but instead, flashes a smirk. "Thank you, Mike. How'd you like my promo?"

The trainer approaches us, "Alright Paige, can you try to move your neck up?"

She tries again and holds a breath. A sound of pain escapes as she lifts her head. It takes time but she manages to align herself. I hate seeing her in distress like this.

* * *

**Paige's POV**

I go through several more exercises to unwind the tension in my neck, forcing to wait for Miz's critique on my promo. At least the pain isn't as strong anymore. The trainer tests my senses and flashes a light in each eye.

"Paige, it looks like you just took a bad fall there. Nothing critical, but to make sure your neck heals properly, I suggest ice, rest, and you'll be good to go in three to five days."

That diagnosis was better than I thought. There was a moment when I honestly didn't know if I was going to be able to compete for a few weeks. I can handle a few days. Miz's hand is still on my back and pats my shoulder. I carefully turn to him and he's nodding his head at the trainer in approving acceptance. The official leaves us and Miz's blue eyes concentrate back at me.

"So my promo?"

"Oh I loved it Paige. You were confident, fierce, and took a stand! I even saw some of myself in you."

I smile. He enjoyed it, and nobody's opinion would matter from here on out. "Three to five days, you think you'll be able to handle that?"

"Yeah, it could be much worse. I'm fine as long as I can be on the road with you."

He tries to lean in to kiss me but my hand to his chest rejects that idea.

"Miz! Not here..."

As he realizes where we are, he jerks back. "You're right. Got caught up there."

Never knew making him hungry for me was so much fun. I'm laughing on the inside at the thought that I'd ever have this power towards men, now I guess I do.

"Later though," Miz winks and smirks. I almost forgot he has the same power towards women and it's specifically stronger for me. Like my kryptonite.

To give him a really hot look, I puff out my cheeks and cross my eyes. He does the same. We laugh at each other and take in the silly moment.

I find it sweet that he came rushing to check on me after the match. And he's also here with me for comfort. This amount of love he's proving nearly rids the pain in my neck. The thought of what we'll be doing when we get alone time just about heals it.

All of a sudden, Alicia Fox enters the room.

"Hey Paige, I heard you were back here." She walks towards Miz and I. There was a split-second where the expression on her face picked up something suspicious. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry about that drop."

"Thanks for the apology, Alicia. I'll be fine so it's okay. It was great wrestling with you tonight! I liked the match."

Her worry transforms into glee. "I'm glad. Yeah, same here girl! It was fun. But hey I'll catch you later, just had to make sure you were okay. Bye guys!" She smiles and turns away to leave the room, closing the door.

"Bye Alicia!" I say. Now I wonder what she thought of seeing Miz here with me.

"I'm guessing you'd wanna ride to Indianapolis with Emma after that. Fox would say something quick if she saw anything else between us," Miz states with a questioned look.

"I know, best not to give them more to talk about seeing as though a lot of the Divas never shut up about stupid stuff." I'm saddened that I won't be able to go with Miz but a trip with Emma is always welcome.

Miz nudges my arm, "Hey, one kiss. C'mon, no one's in here."

He rests his chin on my shoulder, looking up at me with those blue puppy dog eyes. Since my neck is still tense, my peripheral catches his pouted lips too.

I cave. "Fine, but you're going to have to do the leaning in."

Miz jumps up like a child in excitement. He leaves the chair and crouches in front. Now I can see all of him. The blue color in those eyes never fails to entrap me. As a precaution, he checks over his shoulder to see if anyone is about to come through the door. Nobody, and it's near silent.

Miz sneaks his hand to behind my ear and moves his face closer. Forehead, nose, upper lip, lower lip, then chin all connect in this order. I'll never forget the sequence.

This time it's soft and gentle. He lingers for a few seconds, purposely doing so because it might be the last time we kiss until we get time alone again. This sends a flame throughout my body. He knows exactly what he's doing with me.

We part and I can feel a draft from the open space between us.

"I love you," I say, wanting to hear it back.

"I love you, too."

We take another moment in before we have to see the others. It's just us.

This love is an amazing feeling.

* * *

_These two are crazy for each other. In the next chapters, Maryse is going to enter the fray. Here comes drama ;) Please review!_


	12. Chapter 12: For Paige

_Thank you **blackhawkschiq9** and **Wolfgirl2013** for the reviews! I really appreciate it :)_

* * *

**Paige's POV**

"So you and Miz are a THING now?! WHAT?!" Emma yells out in the car.

We're on course to Indianapolis for Monday Night RAW. I'm currently holding an ice pack to my neck. The dark road is lit up by the headlights. After Payback, I couldn't get a chance to see Miz. But soon after we left the trainer's room, he wrote his cell number on a slip of paper, which sits in my front pocket. I haven't texted him, I figured I'd wait until it's important.

"Yes, Emma. You're honestly the only person I trust so there, I'm telling you!"

"I didn't expect this at all! I mean, the ride to Chicago was something but nothing really jumped out at me. Didn't I tell you to NOT do anything?" She glances at me, switching her sight to the road every now and again.

"Against what? Nothing bad has happened!"

"Nothing, YET. Saraya, this situation is gonna get sticky real quick if his wife finds out."

"She won't know a thing."

"I can't believe you're okay with being a mistress..."

"A part of me isn't, but I know what I'm doing."

"You're setting yourself up to be crushed, that's what you're doing. You think he'll leave Maryse to be with you?"

"Hey, what's wrong with _me?_ Maybe he will, who knows? I just wanna enjoy the fact that I have a guy that cares about me."

"This is insane, Saraya."

"I can't be a good girl all the time, Emma. It's real, it's—"

"It's love? Is that it? I knew it—you're overshadowed by emotions to see clear logic." She shakes her head. Her tone is leaving a sour taste in the air.

"Emma! Can't you be happy for me just once?"

"I was happy for you when you became Divas Champion and when you've won matches, but this is a totally different occasion. You're playing with fire and I just wanna set it straight before you get burned. Don't say I didn't warn you."

"...You won't tell anybody, right?"

She turns her head to me, "No, for the sake of friendship, I won't. But for _your_ sake, please remember that your career might be in jeopardy if this slips out. Be careful."

"Thank you, and it'll be fine. Everything will work out."

_At least I hope so..._

* * *

_Monday, June 2: Indianapolis, IN_

**Miz's POV**

My eyes crack open as a shade of blue signals the sunrise, creeping through the hotel room window. Wow, another rough night's sleep. Not surprising, it was more like a nap. I sit up and push the sheets off. I grab my phone from the dresser to my left. It's barely 6AM but there's a bunch of media to be done. I have a few texts and emails. Some from my publicist, sending me a schedule for the next couple of hours.

One text is from a number I haven't seen before.

_"Hey Miz! It's Paige. Hope you arrived okay. Text me when you can. I'll see you later! :)"_

My lips form a smile. A good way to start my morning.

One text is also from Maryse. She sent me a picture of her, I'm assuming from earlier yesterday, in workout clothes.

_"Missing you!"_

That smile on my face remains until I realize how incredibly shady this is. What am I going to do? It can't be like this forever. One of them is going to be gone from my life at a point and it scares me.

_Gotta focus on media day, Miz. Think about it later. _

I reply to Paige first:

_"Hey :) You're probably still sleeping but I've got a long media morning. Catch me on the radio around 8-ish. I'll see you at the arena kid ;)"_

Then to Maryse:

_"I miss you too babe looking good! I've got media to do I'll let you know how it goes"_

Letting out a sigh, I put down the cell phone and prepare for the day.

* * *

**Paige's POV**

Sitting on the edge of the bed, I turn the dial on the alarm clock which also functions as a radio. Emma just got done showering. I instantly woke up this morning when I saw I had received a reply from Miz.

The radio chimes in, "In studio right now to promote the Monday Night RAW show at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, ladies and gentleman let me introduce you to WWE Superstar The Miz!"

_Bingo, found the station._

I listen in. His voice sounds dry but he's full-on Miz, as usual. They talk about Payback and what's in store for tonight. The radio host asks him about The Marine 4 as well.

_"So Miz, how was it working with another co-wrestler, as you can say, with Summer Rae?"_

_"Sharing an experience like shooting a movie with Summer was great! She's a lovely girl, always hyped to be on set, and it was a lot of fun."_

_"That leads me to the next question, what do you think of the Divas division right now? Is it making a comeback?"_

Emma walks in with a towel around her bust. I turn up the volume as we both listen.

_"I can definitely say so. I've actually had a chance to work and wrestle with the Divas Champion, Paige, about a week ago so—"_

_"Woah, how did that go about? Were you just like, 'hey let's wrestle'? Is that your pick-up line?"_

Miz laughs, _"No it was sort of a teaching tool. I'd like to say I'm a mentor to her. The division is in really good hands with her as champion. I'm excited to see what she does next. The other Divas are working hard as well, so it's great."_

I can't hold back the ridiculously goofy grin showing on my face.

The host follows it up, _"You're wife, Maryse, wouldn't like you wrestling other girls right?"_

_"No she wouldn't but she's actually a fan of Paige! She saw her match last night and loved it. So yeah, in this case it's okay!"_ Miz jokes.

Hey there, that's news to me.

"What? Maryse watched your match?!" Emma lightly punches my arm.

"I guess so!"

"How awkward is that?!"

"I have no idea what to think right now!"

I get up and move around, away from the radio in disbelief. It's weird, yet cool? I don't know but that releases some tension in my head. Miz told me before that Maryse thinks I'm talented but if she ever found out about me hanging out with her husband outside the ring, she would infinitely hate my guts for it. This is crazy.

The interviewer throws it to commercials and Emma turns off the radio.

"I'm gonna go think in the shower!" I yell from the bathroom.

"Alright, you do that!" I hear through the door.

Damn, this is funny. I can't help but think the laughing won't last very long if Maryse ever knew.

* * *

_June 2: Monday Night Raw ; Indianapolis, IN - Bankers Life Fieldhouse_

(1 hour before show starts)

**Miz's POV**

I'm with Paige in front of the trainer's room. She just got her neck checked. Still the same prognosis of laying off in-ring action for a few days, but I'm glad to hear she didn't get herself seriously injured. She's ready in her black gear. It's crazy to think some Divas and Superstars dress up for a minute on screen time and that's it for the night. Or worse, not appear on the show at all.

"I've got a backstage interview with Renee later. Whoopie." Her sarcasm rates at a solid ten.

"Don't worry Paige, this is only until next Monday. Be happy you've got time to recover."

"I know, I know."

We begin walking to the main backstage area where everyone is preparing for the show.

"So I listened to your radio interview this morning."

"You did? And what'd you think?"

"I was caught off guard when you said Maryse watched my match at Payback. That's crazy!"

"Trust me, that's what I thought too. She's becoming a big fan of yours just because I'm teaching you stuff."

"Oh jeez. I don't think wives are supposed to like their husbands' mistress."

"Hey, you make mistress sound like a bad thing!" I reply quieter.

"It sort of is, Miz. But no one's gonna know right?"

"Of course. I just...I don't want this to be a permanent thing, you know?"

"No...what do you mean?"

"I have to decide on who...to pick."

These words come out so thick. I didn't realize how much it was a big deal until I told her.

_What're you thinking, Miz? Of course it's a big deal. _

"Oh. That makes sense." Her expression is drooping like a dying flower.

"Paige, my heart and mind are in two different places right now. It'll take time to really know."

"So you're just stalling until you wanna kick me to the curb, is that it?"

_Ruh-roh. I made her angry. _

"Are you serious? Absolutely NOT. There are legal issues to consider here, Paige. I'm weighing out my options but don't think I'm making _you_ just an option."

She calms down but I can tell she's irritated, "Miz, I don't understand."

"Paige—no, Saraya," I get closer, "I'm telling you at this very moment that there's nothing more I want to do than love you with every part of me. We talked about this, remember?"

Her eyes soften. I see her take a gulp, then nod.

I continue, "It's hard because, well y'know. It's not easy to go ahead and tell your newly married wife that you're finished because...because of what? Because I've fallen in love with a twenty-one year old girl that I said I was training? That I've fallen in love with one of my co-workers?"

Paige's eyes are getting glossy, "No, it's not easy..."

"Exactly. You know what else this means?"

"...What?"

"That I've already made up my mind... I'm choosing to be with you."

Those glossy eyes of hers begin streaming tears. She's smiling so I hope they're tears of joy. I can feel some coming along but I suppress them. How did I manage to bring this conversation along? Most importantly out all of the times and places, why now?

_Oh love, you crazy devil... _

"Paige, you'll mess up your make-up, and you're gonna make _me _cry. Please stop."

She laughs and wipes her tears away, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry...WOW. Why'd you have to do that to me, Miz?"

"Now I'm sorry. I don't know, I just felt like I had to tell you. If I told you then maybe I'd believe my own words, and I do."

"You always seem to deny yourself, don't you?"

Well, I guess I do. I denied my feelings for her when we first met, denied knowing I was in love, and denied that I'd choose her over Maryse. It's coming along slowly but now I know—this love is different. This love is what I need.

"Bring it in kid. I need a hug from you."

Paige opens her arms and curls them under mine. I'm careful with her head but embrace her body tight.

I tilt my head down to whisper in her ear, "I love you, Saraya."

We part. She looks up to me and mouths, "I love you too, " then smiles wide.

The very thought of what responsibilities I'm going to have to take renders me weak. My whole life is about to change. I won't like the process but it needs to be done. It's worth it, for her. For Paige.

* * *

_Oooh Miz has decided on Paige! How do you think he'll approach Maryse with this? Can Paige handle all of this? Keep reading to find out!_


	13. Chapter 13: Lovesick Boy

_Review! _

* * *

**Paige's POV**

The WWE has just wrapped up another edition of Raw. The production trucks are loading up as fast as we got settled down. This is how it all operates. My part in the show was within the 2nd hour— a short under-2-minute promo about how I'm ready for whoever wants to take me on for my championship. Almost every detail in the time on television has completely escaped my mind. When I'm in 'RamPaige mode', I'm focused to the bone because I'm not forced to think about anything else. When my face leaves the screen I'm back to Saraya and the deep thoughts come flooding in again. It's similar to my mind going, 'Oh yeah, that happened to me didn't it? Let's go think about it again!' Except this time, not so enthusiastic. More personally life-changing.

I'm numb.

I'm emotionally drained.

I'm confused as to where my love life has gone, and realize that it can never go back to where it was.

Changed into normal clothes, I head to the parking lot. With bag over my shoulder, I'm trying to lay low. Of course, no one would be looking for me anyway.

Except for him.

Miz is waiting, standing against a tall pillar on the way out of the arena. His head is tilted back and staring at me with such a plain expression. It's melancholy, like a look you'd see after someone has just finished crying their eyes out.

"Paige..." I barely hear him. He doesn't move as I approach.

All I want to do is disappear into his arms, to take myself away from the stress. It's coincidental because he was the one who gave me it in the first place. My body hops and crashes into his chest, reinforcing support for me. I drop the bag behind. My source of strength at this moment is him.

I can feel his arms wrap around my upper back. After the long day, in this dark night, nothing matters to me. He's capable of doing this too often. I hate him for it, I love him for it.

I love him.

Finally, Miz breaks the dry silence, "Paige, tell me what to do next..."

I don't leave his embrace and speak in to his left chest, "You have to tell her, Miz."

"I don't want to hurt her."

"You would've hurt her eventually..."

He sighs, chest heaving in and out, "I know."

"Miz, am I really worth this?" This question slips out too quickly for me to return.

Still attached by an embrace, I wait anxiously against his body for the answer. He rests his chin on the crown of my head.

"I've never been so sure of anything in my life. For me to say I've felt like this before would be a lie. You bring out a version of myself I haven't seen in a while."

"Which is that?"

"The lovesick boy who wants nothing except love from the person he can't stop thinking about."

I'm weak at the knees, subtly adding more weight against his frame than I would like. The remains of my heart has melted. How is that I make him feel this way? What's so special about *me*?

Miz shifts forward and stands upright, parting away from my body, "Wanna get out of here?"

Like a child, I nod.

He picks up my bag and tows his own. He begins to walk in the other direction as I follow.

* * *

_June 3: Cincinnati, OH_

**(Paige's POV)**

The drive to the next city was really short. Too bad I was busy drifting in and out of broken sleep to keep a conversation with Miz. Just about two and half hours later, we check-in to the hotel we'll be staying in for the night. Emma is probably in her room, about to clock out. We make our way to my room as he's still carrying my bag for me.

"Here's your stop, kid." He says quietly.

"Thank you, Miz. For everything."

We stand in the middle of the hallway, the yellow-orange lights above us are dimmed. He smiles, but he's just as tired as I am.

I go in for another hug, just to feel him again. The way we fit is perfect. I wish we could be in each other's arms all the time.

"Miz?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I stay in your room tonight?"

He's taken back at my request, but happily replies, "If that's what you want to do..."

"I do. I need someone...just this once."

These impulses are spat out by this lingering energy inside me. I've always hated feeling isolated. When I became part of the main roster on Raw, I had to go through that a few times.

"Then let's go. I guess this means I have keep to carrying your bag?"

He begins walking to the end of the hall. I answer in my head and follow him again.

Once we reach the room, a wave of exhaustion hits. The sight of a bed makes it difficult for my eyes to stay open, full-knowingly that the mattress is my only escape from this tired feeling. Miz closes the door behind us.

I collapse onto the thick bed, making a noise full of exertion.

Eyes closed, heartbeat slowed, I drift...

* * *

**Miz's POV**

Great. There's only one bed in this room and Paige is spread all over it like butter on toast. I drop our bags on the floor before the restroom and make a way over to the side she's facing.

Slowly, I sit on the edge.

My hand lifts to move a strand away from her face, "Sweet dreams, Paige."

She manages a groan.

"I love you." I say before she completely falls asleep.

An extended murmur comes out of her mouth and I know she said she loved me too.

With that I get ready for bed, fixing up things so they're good to go in the morning.

I've adapted to this schedule of restless nights over a course of a few years so I understand the type of tired Paige is.

I gently push her body parts to remain on the right side as I settle on the left. The last thing I do is turn off the lamp before joining her at slumber-slam.

_Miz, you're hilarious..._

* * *

_A short chapter but the next few are going to be establishing more of a closeness between Paige and Miz (before the truth comes out, if you know what I mean lol). Chapter 14 up on Monday ;)_


	14. Chapter 14: The Decision

_:D_

* * *

**Paige's POV**

My eyes flutter and I see blurs. The night's sleep was the best I've had in ages. I bet it was even more than 5 hours. Realizing I'm still in the same clothes when I left the arena, I turn to my right.

I accidentally hit Miz in the back. He's shirtless, facing the opposite wall.

_Wait, what happened last night? _

His body moves as a reaction.

The small hotel room is lit by soft, orange and blue sunlight as the sun is about to rise. I sit up, give a yawn, and remove my jacket to get more comfortable.

I face him again and he's already awake, turned to me this time. The way his dark brown hair looks natural, not spiked up with products, melts me. His eyes read of a delicate thought.

"Good morning," I try to say but my voice hasn't fully developed in the wake of the day.

"Morning, Paige." He says, with the same infliction.

The bed is big enough for me to sit criss-cross and I do.

Miz grabs my hand and brings it to his lips, pecking the skin. My arm is extended as he pulls harder, forcing my body to move to his. Then I realize he wants me to lie next to him, and I do.

As I rest my temple on his chest, his heartbeat is an automatic sound in my ear. It's slow, yet strong. Completely representative of the love we share.

I can't help but wonder, "Miz, did we _do _anything?"

His chest pops as a laugh, "No, nothing, sadly. I respect you too much to try anything yet anyway."

I point my chin to him, "Thank you."

He smirks and kisses the top of my forehead. My arm sneaks to rest on his bare abdomen the same way his fingers sneak against the small of my back. I'm trying to keep this moment alive as long as he lets me. It's been so long since I've had this kind of interaction with a guy. Usually, I wouldn't be as willing this early, but I've actually been less comfortable in family situations than right now.

That hand on my spine lifts to the back of my head. He tangles his fingers within the mess of hair, gingerly messaging my head. I could fall asleep again like this, it's _that_ soothing.

"She'll be calling any minute now," he says as his chest vibrates.

"Let her. Though, it's your choice if you want to answer." I hope he didn't take my tone negatively.

All of a sudden, his body moves to sit up. I displace myself and watch as he positions against the backboard, rubbing his face with both palms in distress.

_There he goes again, choosing what he should do on the inside. Choosing who... _

Not a second after, his phone begins ringing. I continue to watch him and his mannerisms. He desperately glances to the phone on the dresser then back at me.

"Come here," Miz says loudly enough over the ringtone.

I don't know what to expect but I still follow his request. I shift to face him and scoot forward. His long muscular arms reach behind my ear and pulls. I don't resist because I know his decision hasn't changed...He chose me.

I lean toward his head and connect lips. His are dry, probably like mine. But we find a way to change that.

The phone continues to ring while we're in this lovelock. The sound fades away from me as I focus on Miz. Each delicate movement delivers a smack that entices me even more. He knows exactly how to make a girl feel like a woman. Both hands apply pressure to his chest, catching him off guard as I throw a leg over his torso. I'm situated on his stomach, sitting on an area just above his lower body. I'm hunching forward to kiss him, letting bliss take over. One of his hands rest on my hips while the other is still holding my jaw. The pace slows down and the individual pecks get longer.

"Paige...you're the one...I want," he splices this phrase between kisses.

His lips give me one last lingering touch before we open eyes.

Our heads are so close. I stare straight into those windows, detailing the blue and light blue streaks around his pupils. The sunlight shines the round contours of his face. His soul inside is telling the truth. I can cry at how beautiful this moment is.

"Miz—no, Mike...I love you so much." He smiles one of those smiles that are impossible to resist from happening. I do the same.

Then Miz goes in for another long kiss and I gladly let myself disappear into him.

* * *

_I know, shun me for another short chapter :( But I'll upload Ch. 15 tomorrow, how about that? ;) _


	15. Chapter 15: Not a Game

_Reviews are appreciated ;)_

* * *

_June 3: Friday (Tuesday) Night SmackDown TV taping - Cincinnati, OH; US Bank Arena_

(1 hour before show time)

**Miz's POV**

This morning was full of revelation. I proved I've come to terms for what is the hardest decision of my life. Paige is who I want to love. My heart feels light when I think about her. I get ridiculously happy knowing she's mine. Hopefully, I can share this elation because I'm about to be hers—and hers only.

Then, my heart becomes heavy when I switch thoughts to Maryse. It's like a killswitch that brings out dread and worry. It shouldn't be that way in a new marriage. Was it like this all along? I guess it took a person like Paige to change everything. It goes to show there is no such person as _the one_ in this world of 7 billion and counting. The next step won't be easy either. There is no way I can avoid telling Maryse.

_But I have to._

The thoughts brush away as I concentrate on the SmackDown taping here in Cincinnati.

After our little "bonding" moment, Paige and I chose to separate ourselves, just only for the day being. I'd see her again tonight, during the show, and most certainly after.

I wonder how she's tolerating it. If I was here, I wouldn't know whether to drop and forget it all or stay. I'm glad she chose to stay.

So then we're here, the WWE family has rolled out the production for the WWE Universe for yet another spectacle in Ohio, my home state. I'm set for a match against The Shield's Dean Ambrose, propping up a win for a future chance at the United States Championship, versus Sheamus.

The stroll out to the main backstage area opens up a network of various conversations with colleague Divas and Superstars. As I pass them, they all somehow throw a greeting gesture. Everyone's ready in their wrestling gear and authentic WWE t-shirts from the Shop. A quick glance down a hallway, I see the back of one of my shirts. Each sleeve is cut off so it looks like a muscle tank top. The white words "The old ones are starting to like me" are wrinkled as the fabric fits loose, and are also covered by strands of black hair.

I make my way over to this girl and let my chest bump into her back.

Emma, who's speaking a few feet across from her, stops talking and stares up at me with a grin. Paige hesitantly turns her head around. Once she realizes it's me, her arms automatically go for an embrace around my neck, "Miz!"

I let out a laugh and support her body.

"Nice shirt, kid." I'm currently wearing the same one so we're twinning in this case.

We part and her face shines of glee, then looks down, "Oh, yeah well I figured why not?"

"Yeah, it looks great on you." Her in my shirt is probably one of the hottest things I've seen.

"You know what looks even better?" I ask.

"What?"

Making sure I'm close enough for only her to hear, I whisper into an ear, "You with it off."

The way she reacts is the cutest—she crinkles her nose and lightly slaps me on the chest.

Emma chimes in, "Alright, I'll let you guys chatter for a bit. I'm gonna go find Renee or someone so I don't end up a third wheel." She waves off as Paige and I are left to ourselves, like we always love being.

"Hey, I have a shirt too! Are you gonna wear it next?" Paige returns to the topic.

"Of course! I'll even take a selfie in it, with my best duck lips. Like this!" I crouch down to her and pretend I have a phone in hand, making my best Donald Duck impersonation.

"You're so goofy!" She rolls her eyes, laughs again, and pushes against my temple left with two fingers.

"Thought I was more of a Donald Duck there, but hey, that's cool, " I situate upright and throw an arm around her firm shoulders, "but for real, I'll get one of your shirts too. What better way to represent my girl right?"

We begin to walk to the merchandise trunk across the concrete way.

"Your girl, huh? Hmm, I like being The Miz's girl." She says matter-of-factly.

"My girl, my champion, my Paige. All mine." I give her a kiss on the side of her head. If anyone saw that I'd honestly be okay with it.

Her arms enclose around my body and squeeze as a sign of approval. We stop at a table where our shirts our on display. I let go to rummage through all of the black cotton, making a determined search for a silver and purple logo.

"Ah-ha!" I flip through the crew neck collars for a Large and hold up the shirt with "Think Again" on the front.

A t-shirt in the WWE is like a company staple in letting the fans know that you're a legit Superstar. Paige earning one so early in her career adds another admiration star on the board for me.

"You know what? I think I'll wear this to the ring tonight." I say as I turn to her.

"Woah, really?"

"Since you're promoting me, I'll return the favor." I wink and throw the shirt over my shoulder.

"Deal. I walk out there with yours and you with mine!"

"Awesome."

* * *

(SmackDown in progress)

**Paige's POV**

My part for the show is done—exhibition squash match against Rosa Mendes where she got laid out with Rampaige. It had to be short due to my sore neck.

When I walked out on that stage and down the ramp, I could feel the eyes of the WWE Universe on me tenfold. I could already hear the collective, "What? Why is she in Miz's shirt?" from the masses around the world. And I already could see the Internet and social media erupt on Friday night.

It felt similar to getting a giant stain on your shirt and having no choice but to be in it all day. Except, I wore that stain with anxious pride. This was basically the message that there _is_ something us. I wonder what Maryse will think...

_"AWWWESOOOME!"_ His theme rings throughout the US Bank Arena with a boom.

It's his turn to say the same message.

I'm stationed in front of a live-feed monitor in the Divas locker room. I bite my nails in anticipation as the camera angle switches to stage. The Miz makes his way from the curtain and there he is, in my authentic WWE Shop shirt. The logo pops out so clear on screen. Those smiles that are impossible to resist get thrown onto my face. He's in usual arrogant form as he leaps onto the apron for his signature pose against the ropes. Once inside the ring, and on the turnbuckle, he grabs on the fabric on his chest and brushes off the words "Think Again". His duck lips are out like they were earlier. I can tell he's wearing it with pride, as I did.

Behind me, some of the Divas begin whispering. Their noises perk my ears, and not in a good way. I don't want to care what they think, but I do anyway because these are the Divas I see almost every night. I know some of them are good friends with Maryse and they shouldn't be oblivious to not suspect anything.

_It's whatever. Let them talk. _

All of a sudden, one of the Bella twins plots herself to my right. I try not to make the first move.

"Hey Paige, isn't it cool that Miz's wearing your shirt?" The way that came out, I knew it was Nikki.

In my usual awkward form, I reply, "Yeah...it's nice of him."

"Sure is. You guys have been getting really close over this past week..."

This time, I push the effort to face her and make eye contact. "We're friends, so what?" I shrug like it's nothing.

"Friends? Alright. I'm guessing really _good_ friends then if you guys are already making out in the hallways." Her eyebrows raise at this statement.

_Does she know about that kiss?_

Her face zooms in on mine, too close for comfort. I try to stand my ground but the fact that she has experience in playing the "love game" quickly intimidates me. In the ring I may be better, but in relationships, she's the number one contender for the championship.

I square her eyes as the stare is deathly relentless.

"Paige, whatever's going on with you and Mike ends here." She says deliberately, like I don't comprehend words easily.

I gulp a lump in my throat.

"Having to hear this from a friend instead of your own husband would be really unfortunate, don't you think?"

I nod slowly understanding she's talking about Maryse.

"Whatever you two have, it's over. Paige, I'm warning you right now this is not a game you should be playing. I'm only looking out for you and Miz."

I manage a peep, "Okay...you won't need to worry about it."

Nikki backs up and returns to a less threatening expression.

"Alright, good talk champ." She pats my shoulder and turns to leave the locker room.

My attention turns back to the screen as the match is still going on. Miz is dominate Ambrose with his series of moves. What am I supposed to do after that? Our "laying low" is obviously doing a pathetic job.

_No, I love him too much to just forget it. _

If Nikki thinks her trying to scare me like that is enough to keep me from telling Miz, then she's dead wrong. There's too many things to do before we can truly be together. I'm willing to be there for him through all of the pain and struggle.

It's time to tell Maryse.

* * *

_Hm, it's funny, I can actually hear Nikki in this chapter lol_

_Ch. 16 is THE BIG ONE you guys, the wait will soon be over! _


	16. Chapter 16: The Confession

_Here. We. Go._

* * *

**Miz's POV**

"What? Nikki told you _that_?" I say, furiously.

We settle back in the hotel room. The show has wrapped up, but since it's Tuesday, we have a few days before the next one. I sit on the edge of the bed, packing the luggage bag at my feet. Paige had just told me about her encounter with a Bella twin, as she puts her things away in a duffle set on a small table.

It's frustrating how no one understands what I'm going through and decides to intervene like they know exactly what's happening.

_I don't even know what's happening at this point. _

"She needs to mind her own business. You know, I've never really liked her anyway," I continue to spew a rant in anger. Even when Maryse thought so highly of her, I knew it'd be impossible to befriend someone so devious.

"She expects me to drop everything, and said that she's only looking out for me and you." Paige rebuttals. She throws one of my WWE Shop shirts into the bag.

"I can handle this on my own." I grab the shirt and hand it to her, saying to keep it.

_I can. I've been through worse... right? _

Come to think of it, I haven't. I've never had to face someone I love and tell them I don't anymore, at least not as strongly as I do for someone else. That's heartbreaking. Emotionally traumatizing, even. It's shallow and selfish. It hurts.

The pain I'm going to have to inflict on Maryse and on myself is terrifying. The thought renders me motionless.

_How am I going to do this on my own? _

Paige kicks the bag out of the way and kneels in front of me, "Hey...it's okay Miz." Under the dimmed lampshade lighting, her face brightens the visual range.

"I promise you we can get through this, you and me. I won't let you go alone. I'm gonna be right here for you." I feel her warm palm come into contact with my left cheek. Her comfort is what I need but I'm not sure it's enough.

"Thank you, Saraya." Like this morning, I find myself searching into those chocolate eyes. I can see hope—hope for me, and hope in us.

I reach to remove stray strands of long hair away so I'm able see her face better.

"Together?" I ask.

"Always." She lightly smiles.

I lean in and give her a kiss on the forehead as another sign of gratitude.

* * *

_Wednesday, June 4; Mizanin Home - Los Angeles, CA_

(Nighttime)

**Miz's POV**

I pull up to the driveway. Several variations of terror hit me like a giant tsunami in that moment I parked the car. I'm drowning in fear. As I let go of the stick shift, I notice my hands are uncontrollably shaking. I let out a deep yet broken breath. There is so turning or taking it all back now.

A hand grabs mine and firmly squeezes. I turn to Paige who's trying her best to calm me down. She decided to fly with me to California just for this. Up until this point, I felt like any conversation would be empty words so we haven't had a deep talk since last night. There's too much on my mind that won't let me relax.

I gulp and close my eyes to take a second.

This is the last sanction I have...

_No regrets. _

I open the car door and step out. It's almost like I'm having an out of body experience. Am I really taking these steps? The sound of the other door closing snaps me back. Paige returns to my side and waits until I get to the house's front entrance. Getting the keys out of my pocket proves a harder task than it ordinarily is because this time, I'm unlocking a house of dangerous energy.

I turn the knob and creak in, like it isn't my house and I'm trespassing on private property. I look around, the lights are on and I hear a television going.

"Miz, is that you?" Maryse's trademark French-accented voice echoes through the walls.

I answer back with what sounded like a bird going through puberty. I look back to Paige who's still behind me, uncomfortable, but she's better off than I am. The door closes behind both of us and we inch to the living room. I hear footsteps getting closer, building up with each quick heartbeat that has ended up in my ears.

"Hey babe when did you—" Maryse comes in and stops at the sight of Paige over my shoulder. Her hair is up in a messy bun, wearing sleepwear that consist of a tank and long pajama pants.

"Oh, hi Paige?"

I can't seem to make eye contact with her. I'm sure guilt reads across my face like a void stamp.

Paige tries to keep her words minimal.

"Is she staying with us tonight?" Maryse asks as if there's nothing to think of it.

I get close and give her a kiss on the cheek before finally uttering, "We need to talk."

* * *

_"I don't know how to say it... I'm sorry Maryse..._

_"What...what did you guys do?!"_

_"I've fallen in love...with Paige."_

* * *

(1 hour later)

**Miz's POV**

The whole sit down with Maryse became a giant blur and flurry of emotion that involved unrelenting rage. It came with a slap to my face but I had that coming. Soon after, it all ended with a slap to Paige's face as Maryse grabbed her car keys and stormed out.

I didn't know what to do with myself. I couldn't move or speak or think. The "perfect life" we worked so hard in building, just crushed and destroyed in one deception-filled snap...

* * *

_"Mike, we're married and you cheat on me like this? Then tell me you're in love with another girl? I can't believe you!"_

_"I know...I couldn't help myself. I'm sorry Maryse."_

_"No you're not, Mike! If you are, then say it's a fucking mistake and send her home right now."_

_"...It's hard to—"_

_"Yeah, exactly! Goodbye, I'm leaving you!"_

* * *

I sit in my living room in total numbness. Everything around me is completely unrecognizable.

The things displayed on the wall and spread around the room mean nothing to me. The picture frames of Maryse and I are nothing. Since the past hour, I've gotten a chance to collect what's left of me. It's similar to a vase shattering into a million pieces and having to put it back together again. It's a slow process to fix this.

It's quiet and the heavy air looms over like a fog, though it wasn't as bad as it was when I had to confess that I cheated on her.

It's more at peace now but there is none in me whatsoever.

Paige hasn't left my side in this silent hour. I wonder how she can just sit there without a word. Nevermind, I know why.

It's because she loves me enough to just be there, to make sure I'm not alone like she promised...

I look to the left of the couch where she sits ever so patiently. This sight of grace and comfort is again, what I need, but not enough to fix the mess I am at this moment. She's too good to me...

* * *

**Paige's POV**

Miz makes the first move in the last hour of tense atmosphere. He looks to me with glossy, red eyes.

This hurts just watching him. I couldn't imagine what he's going through.

I immediately grab his head and hold him close. Anything to sooth the pain, anything to make it better. Miz starts crying into my shoulder and I rub his back while a hand rests on the crease of his neck.

The sobs increase as I allow him to let it all out.

The way Maryse handled it was exactly how I expected. The entire time I stayed put, standing against the doorway before entering the living room. It was surreal. The slap I received felt like I deserved it, and I realize I do so I let the feeling sting into me. Though, that still didn't change the way I felt about Miz. He means so much now and I'm touched at how he thinks the same with me.

Miz begins to lean more into my body, ending up lying across the couch while using my lap as a pillow. As he stares into the ceiling, I massage his head for consolation.

His eyes are a shocking contrast of blue and red, but the color in that expression reads nothing but dullness. I keep a close eye on him. He closes his eyelids like he's about to fall asleep.

"Paige..." The first word in over an hour is my name. He sounds broken, "Will you take what's left of me?"

Nothing has ever made me feel the way it did when that question left his mouth. It's powerful. Any type of verbal response could never do it justice.

Instead, I hunch down and give him a soft kiss on the lips. We taste of sympathy and apologetic madness. The gesture was more for reassurance than pleasure. Right now in this very moment, Miz needs somebody to be there; I'm going to be there for as long as he needs me.

"I love you, Mike. I really do." I say as best as I can.

All he does is curl the corner of his lip in a shy smirk which is the first sign of light in this dark night. It's good to witness and be the cause of his recovery.

"I love you too, Saraya."

No matter how many times I've heard those words, it gets me every time. The butterflies let loose in the pit of my stomach.

We sit just as we are for another hour or so. The quiet house served us an opportunity to open up to each other. When Miz spoke, I was massaging his head, taking in every detail. When I spoke, he gave me nothing but his undivided attention. This became the best personal conversation I've had with anybody. It wasn't long before I got to see his wide smile again.

I was completely hesitant as to what I was getting myself into when Miz introduced me to him, but I wouldn't take back a single moment since then. This is real, we can be happy together. I believe in this insane idea called love, and I believe in him.

* * *

_Sooo, was the wait worth it? ;) This story has just begun, ladies and gentlemen. New twists and turns for Miz and Paige, I'm excited to share them with you!_


	17. Chapter 17: What's Left of Me

_A little chapter best paired with listening to the song **What's Left of Me by Nick Lachey :)**_

_Watch my life,_  
_Pass me by,_  
_In the rear view mirror_  
_Pictures frozen in time_  
_Are becoming clearer_

**Miz's POV**

After the whirlwind of chaos and emotional trauma, I've finally gotten a small grasp of myself again. Slowly but surely, I'll be healing this giant scar across my heart. Paige got a chance to see the vulnerable side of Mike The Miz, and she still stuck through it with me. We've become closer because of it all.  
That same night, we settled to just talk things out. She told me more about her life. Story time with her gave me new information, which also came with more respect and adoration.

_I don't wanna waste another day_  
_Stuck in the shadow of my mistakes_

Maryse hasn't called or made any kind of contact since our fight. I expected that. I expect her to completely throw me away for the rest of her life. I used to be afraid of her rejection, but now, it's an idea a part of me welcomes. My, how things change when love enters the situation.

_Cause I want you,_  
_And I feel you,_  
_Crawling underneath my skin_  
_Like a hunger,_  
_Like a burning,_  
_To find a place I've never been_  
_Now I'm broken,_  
_And I'm faded,_  
_I'm half the man I thought I would be:_  
_But you can have what's left of me_

And ever since Maryse has trickled out of my thoughts, I've been focusing on Paige. She's such a beautiful girl. Everything about her creates this light feeling of young love. The way we act so ourselves around each other; the way we mess around while trying to hold deep conversations, is like a teenage dream. It's taken my love for her on another level. She doesn't expect me to do or buy things for her like Maryse does. Paige just wants me there, period.

_I've been dying inside,_  
_Little by little,_  
_No where to go,_  
_But going out of my mind_  
_In endless circles,_  
_Running from myself until,_  
_You gave me a reason for standing still_

On Thursday, we stayed in the house all day doing the stupidest things we could think of just because we felt like it. A lot of disgusting food challenges, prank wars, Nerf gun battles, and watching the funniest movies in my DVD collection—you name it, we did it. We even wrestled for a few hours, taking apart the couch cushions and building our own "ring". I haven't had this much fun since I was a kid. It took my mind away from it all.

She takes my mind away from it all.

_Cause I want you,_  
_And I feel you,_  
_Crawling underneath my skin_  
_Like a hunger,_  
_Like a burning,_  
_To find a place I've never been_  
_Now I'm broken,_  
_And I'm faded,_  
_I'm half the man I thought I would be:_  
_But you can have what's left of me_

On Friday, we went to the beach. She didn't have a lot since all of her swimming and sand wear were back in Florida, so I let her pick out a few swimsuits in one of the fancier stores in Hollywood, like a little shopping spree. She isn't like Maryse where she goes for the newest, most expensive piece of clothing just for the hell of it. The bikini Paige chose complimented her style and gave me a pretty awesome view next to the waters. After spending the whole day in the California sun, we decided to go back to the house and order take-out. That night, we ate and watched our favorite matches on the WWE Network until we fell asleep.

_It's falling faster,_  
_Barely breathing,_  
_Give me something,_  
_To believe in_  
_Tell me: It's not all in my head_

_Take what's left_  
_Of this man_  
_Make me whole_  
_Once again_

This Saturday morning though—at 3AM, I had to rally to get ready and leave for the airport. It's time to return to what we love being most—professional wrestlers.

_Cause I want you,_  
_And I feel you,_  
_Crawling underneath my skin_  
_Like a hunger,_  
_Like a burning,_  
_To find a place I've never been_  
_Now I'm broken,_  
_And I'm faded,_  
_I'm half the man I thought I would be:_  
_But you can have what's left of me_

We'll take things slow. We're both in vulnerable positions in our lives and the last thing I'd want to do is to destroy what we've built by rushing everything all at once. I'm not that type of guy. In this relationship, lust and sex doesn't drive me because with Paige, it's a true connection. Most of the time, I just want to keep her smiling and laughing instead of wanting to touch her _like that_. She's too precious—like a brand new diamond necklace, I treat her heart with value and delicacy. Of course, that excludes physically wrestling where we go at it like it's nothing. She's a tough chick in the ring. And that's one of the things I admire her for, that fierce grit and determination.  
She's an all around perfect match for me.

_I've been dying inside you see_  
_I'm going out of my mind_  
_Out of my mind_  
_I'm just running in circles all the time_  
_Will you take what's left of me?_

_Just running in circles in my mind_

_Will you take what's left of me?_

The last couple of days spent before returning with the WWE family would be hard to compare, or explain.

We board the plane, on route to Las Cruces, New Mexico for a live houseshow.

As we settle into our seats, I lace my fingers with hers on the arm rest. Paige turns to me with a small smile already in place. Her eyebrows perk up. There goes a leaped heartbeat. When I take in this image of her, all I see is the genuine spirit I love with every piece of my own soul. I've made the right decision with this girl.

I lean over our arms, hands still together, and give a kiss on her lips. When we pull apart, I can see her eyes still looking down at my mouth, then slowly travels up to meet my eyes again.

"What was that for?"

"For everything," I reply.

The plane buzzes and we're rolling down the runway. Time to face the world ahead of us.

* * *

_So what do you guys think? In my opinion, the song just fit perfectly for Miz's emotions. I'm excited to share the next chapters with you all. Thank you to those who keep reading! :)_


	18. Chapter 18: Tape

_Yaaay Chapter 18! Hope you enjoy. I've been busy with school because graduation is around the corner so it's hard sitting down to write but don't worry, I've got many ideas for where this story's headed ;) Reviews are greatly appreciated :D_

* * *

_"I wanted to tell, tell you my secrets,_

_I want you to know, know I believe this_

_I wanted to tell, tell you everything..."_

_(Living Proof by The Downtown Fiction)_

_June 9: Monday Night RAW - Minneapolis, MN: Target Center_

(3 hours before show time)

**Paige's POV**

I find it surprising that I'm able to concentrate on another life other than just wrestling. It's always been about the wrestling. But now, that's being put behind this concept named love.

Woah Saraya, what?

It's insane. I guess it is still technically the same because the guy I'm with is _in_ wrestling. I've never had a person that I can say I'm _dating_. Well, dating seriously anyway.

Wrapping up another live event, the match I had was almost a blur. Hopefully the fans didn't notice that my mind was somewhere far away. Keeping up this juggling act is not an easy task. On top of it, the Divas locker room is full of talk about Miz and I. The word must've gotten out that Maryse left Miz because her husband fell in love with somebody else. Fell in love with me.

I thought the target on my back for having the Divas Championship was bad, try having the title of "homewrecker" around your neck.

_Congrats Paige, you're once again the undisputed champion..._

Every time I enter the fray of Divas in the locker room, all eyes point to me. It's eerie. And it's worse when that becomes an automatic shunning as they whisper shit behind my back. It's similar to high school, but less petty and more controversial.

In that group of hyenas called Divas, I have to stand alone. I have to assert my dignity, or whatever's left of it.

The dirt-stained feeling quickly flees when I see Miz, though. It's all okay whenever I'm with him. When we're seen together backstage, opposing opinions get thrown in our direction like darts. He seems to not care because he's never phased by it. It must be those years of experience in the WWE where he was treated like a joke to the top guys yet he still managed to persevere past it, being able to call himself a former WWE Champion. Miz knows what ridicule is, but chooses to put it aside. That's what I have to do now.

"Hey Paige," Speaking of, Miz comes over and kisses the side of my head, "you look like you've been thinking. What's up?"

He's beginning to be more comfortable with our relationship. We're out in the open as the crew is packing up the arena, people rushing back and forth with no breaks.

Miz's hand goes around my waist and rests on the left pocket as he pulls me close. His touch makes my skin surge.

I look up to his face, "Yeah, I've been thinking a lot lately. I can't help it." He smells of a type of watery cologne, it's nice on him.

"Oh, well I'm glad I'm not alone on that. Did you wanna talk about it?" His sincerity is adorable.

"It's nothing, really. It's mostly about the Divas. They're talking shit behind my back and I don't want to say it, but it stings. Just a little."

His grip tightens to where our bodies touch, "The guys are giving me a hard time too, but you don't have to listen to them. Saraya, those girls don't understand, and most importantly, they're not you. Keep it business with them. Have your matches and work hard, that's all you need to do. Don't give them the satisfaction that you're paying attention to their thoughts about us."

Miz knows exactly what to say in whatever circumstance. I know he's right.

"Business with everyone, but you can be personal with me," His nose dips down to my ear and I wince as the sensation tickles my ear. We laugh.

"Okay. That'll work for me. Thank you, I love you."

We do this thing where I puff out my cheeks and pop it on his lips, then he does the same to me. This silly-serious contradiction keeps our conversations casual.

"I love you too." He says, then actually kisses me. This time, it's a lighter touch.

The cute little things we do are fun, but the real thing is even better.

* * *

_June 9: Monday Night RAW - Minneapolis, MN: Target Center_

(1 hour before show time)

**Paige's POV**

By now, everyone who's a part of the WWE family—crew and talent—know about Maryse and Miz's separation, all thanks to me. No, I'm not proud of it nor do I wave around that flag, but my name is being spewed out of people's mouths and I've become notorious. I'm trying my hardest to ignore the dirty looks and whispers that resonate like screams because I know they're talking about me. This thick skin is coming in like the way skin heals after it's ripped open from a scab. It takes so much for me to not breakdown and cry, pleading my case. Pretending to not care has created this false interpretation that one: I'm proud to have wrecked a marriage and that two: I'm completely apathetic toward emotions. Neither is true and it's killing me at how wrong those people are. I'm just trying to be professional in the workplace. Is that so hard to comprehend? I don't want to end up dumping drama in this business like those Total Divas because cleaning it up doesn't fair a fun idea. I focus on the work in the ring where the fans respect me the most. If this spreads through to them, then I'm going to make sure they don't know how much it's affected me. Hell, I'm still trying to win them over. That's been my main goal since day one.

And that continues tonight where I have a match against Brie Bella.

I'm ready in my wrestling gear and jacket but I left my championship back in the locker room. Had to talk to Creative about the direction of storylines, as they changed a bit for a possible rivalry towards SummerSlam.

I head back to the dressing room where the rest of the Divas are nowhere in sight. Weird.

As I approach my belongings, something's off. When I get closer, I can tell my things have been tampered with. Nothing major, but the subtlety is suspicious enough.

_What could they want?_

Then, I see it.

My butterfly Divas Championship is displayed over the locker bench, sitting prepped and folded with masking tape over my name. The word 'slut' is written in bold black marker.

I'm thrown off guard and angry at the same time. When I saw that, it was similar to a pang of a bullet.

_They're all full of shit!_

I have no idea who did this and the list runs down in my head. The only person that would do anything like this is also related to the person I face tonight. A sister of that person, a twin of that person—Nikki Bella.

I just know it was her.

_What a bitch._

Although, I'm not surprised that she would do this but seeing my name tainted over the prestigious championship hurt me. I pick up my title and rip off the tape. I'm trying not to tear up.

_Don't let it get to you, Saraya. Business. Like Mike said, just have your matches and ignore them._

No matter how completely personal and violating this act was, what Miz said is ringing in my ears.

I breathe out.

_Alright, don't stoop to her level. It's nothing now. _

I throw the leather strap over my shoulder and leave the locker room. I'm controlling my rage, so it doesn't turn to rampage. Not here, not now. This energy has got to stay in the ring.

I don't know where I'm going but I know what I'm trying to find. Or who, for that matter. I swiftly march the hallways looking for him.

I turn the corner and I'm taken back at what I see.

It's Miz...and Nikki having a conversation.

_Oh my god, is she serious?!_

I crouch against a trunk so I'm not seen. My head peaks to get a view at what's happening.

The look on Miz's face is troubled and questioning, close to sheer disgust. Whatever Nikki's saying seems to have triggered his bullshit radar. I relax a bit after realizing he's having none of her words. Then, Nikki goes in for a hug. Miz's arms drop at his sides.

_Wow, Nikki. You have no right to touch my man like that..._

She turns away to leave and I see Miz shake his head. Well at least he knew how fake she can be.

I return to a normal standing position and charge his way, hoping he sees me.

"Miz!"

"Hey Paige!" We meet halfway in the hallway and he reaches my face for a small kiss—exactly what I needed.

"You won't believe what I saw in the locker room." I say trying to lower the voice volume.

"Yeah? Well you won't believe what Nikki Bella just told me. You go first, babe."

"...Babe?" My anger switches places with curiosity.

"Oh, well yeah. Can I call you that?"

"Yes...yes, you can." I smile in giddiness.

"Awesome. So what did you see in the locker room?"

That question replaces my happy thought with Nikki's face and I remember the initial pain I felt. I explain to Miz the details of what I assume to be Nikki's doing.

"What? How fucking low. And here she is telling me how sorry she feels for what I'm going through like I regret it."

"What'd she say?"

"A bunch of shit I don't really remember. I was too busy thinking about the fake coming out of her mouth. One thing I do recall is her saying something about you acting like you own the locker room."

"I NEVER—"

His finger presses against my lips, "Shhh, I know. Don't worry Paige, her tricks don't work on me."

Again, I calm down.

"Do you remember what I told you?" He asks.

"Yeah, every word of it."

"Good. You're better than all of those drama-driven Divas. Why do think I fell in love with you?"

I feel my cheeks get warm, they're probably crimson red. But I'm still frustrated at how Nikki's going around, in both Miz and I's faces (behind my back), flaring shit like it's her job.

"I'm trying my hardest to not let them get to me, Miz, I really am. How do you stand it?"

"I keep my emotions tucked away in a box, under lock. You're the only one who has the key, that's how I deal with it."

His words melt me, which seems to be his superpower as of late. He thinks of me when he has to confront that negativity? I'm touched.

In that moment, I just realized that it's impossible to go through this on my own. But that's the thing—I'm _not_ alone. I have Miz by my side.

"You're too sweet to me, Miz." I reach up, pinching his cheeks.

"Well, your happiness comes first."

I smile and go for a hug. To have his arms around me is another gesture of reassurance. I feel protected around him. Still in his hold, I look up to him and pucker my lips in typical duck-lips form. He does the same and pecks his head to my mouth.

"Quack!" He says.

I can't help but laugh. The anger dissipates from me and I'm back to normal.

"Love you, babe." Miz then kisses the area just above the middle of my eyebrows.

"Love you too, babe." I reply back and smile up at him.

We part and begin walking to the main backstage area, with his arm over my shoulders. We talk of how our day is going and what to expect on this episode of Monday Night Raw. The nerves cease and I'm now excited to perform in front of the WWE Universe, remembering my main goal of proving myself to them.

Let's get this show started.


	19. Chapter 19: Power Couple

_Coincidence how I wrote in Alicia Fox vs Paige at Payback in this story then that's exactly what happened lol_

_If only this came true, right? ;)_

_Anyways, don't be afraid to review!_

* * *

_June 9: Monday Night RAW - Minneapolis, MN: Target Center_

(Show in progress)

**Miz's POV**

It seems as though Creative is making their rounds this week. Paige had just told me that her storylines are changing, now I'm being called up for the same reason. Right in the middle of the Paige and Brie Bella match too. _Really? _

I enter the small room designated for meetings and see David, the head writer for Raw, ready for my arrival. We make small talk as I take a seat near him.

"Alright Miz, we're gonna be twisting the direction of your character this summer."

"How so?"

"Well keeping it brief with your personal life, we know about this relationship between you and Paige..."

_Where is this headed?_

"Creative notices the chemistry you two have, and thinks it'd be a great opportunity for the both of you to try a challenge."

"Dave, please get to the point here. I just really wanna know why Paige is involved." I'm getting antsy, partly because I already see what he's going to propose.

"You and Paige are gonna be the next on-screen couple."

_Whoop, there it is..._

"Really? So what's the plan?" I ask.

"First, Paige is gonna be working with Wade Barrett as a type of UK tandem. You are gonna be next in line for an Intercontinental Championship match. As weeks pass, you and Barrett are set to make each other lose matches. Paige is gonna start off completely hating your guts, but what the Universe won't see is that she's actually helping you. At Money in the Bank, she's going to cost Barrett at grabbing the briefcase by an altercation in the ladder match. That will start their downfall. Then at Battleground in July, when she's at ringside for you and Barrett's title match, she's going to be the reason why you win the title that night."

The thought of becoming Intercontinental Champion again is an honor. Having another credible rivalry with a guy like Wade Barrett adds another layer to the cake. But having my girl in the same program is the cherry on top. I'm excited.

"That sounds awesome. When is this gonna take off?"

Dave replies, "In the next couple weeks. We're trying to work with Paige because of her storyline with the Bellas. The plan is to keep Paige's role completely separate from the other, so it doesn't interfere with the Divas Division."

"So Paige is gonna turn heel or...?"

"Yes. Similar to how Ziggler and AJ came to be, you two will the IC and Divas Champion power couple."

"Alright Dave, I'm digging this, a lot."

"We'll keep you posted on everything, Miz. Glad you like this idea."

"Thanks. And I'm excited, it's gonna a lot of fun."

I stand up to leave and shake hands. As I make my out of the room, a smile gets thrown onto my face. How awesome is this? A chance to be champion again, with Paige to share it with me—I couldn't ask for more. Plus, this gives her another dimension to add within her career. It's a win-win for us both.

I make my way to find a monitor.

One on the wall with the live Raw feed shows Paige celebrating after a victory over a Bella. She looks too good holding that title up, all smiles and elation. The camera angle switches to Nikki tending to Brie in the ring. She looks towards Paige on the ramp with a mean mug.

_Take that, Nikki!_

I can't wait to tell Paige the big news. Detaching myself from the screen, I go to the curtain where she'll come through in a few seconds.

Paige emerges from the black fabric, in cool down mode. When she notices me there, her face lights up. I love seeing her reaction. It's the same as when a puppy reunites with their owner who's returning from a long day at the office.

Her sweaty body crashes into me for a small hug, "Did you like the match? What'd you think?"

"Well, I was called up for a meeting with Dave so I didn't see it..."

She frowns, "Oh."

"But get this! He told me my storyline with Barrett and guess who's also in it."

"Um..."

"YOU!"

It's funny, her face doesn't know whether to be confused or happy at this. "I don't get it. What? How? Why?"

I explain every detail Dave told me and answer her questions as we head back to the locker rooms. Repeating the plans back to myself, I'm already coming up with different ways to spice the story.

"Oh my god Miz, I'm so excited!" Paige responds with the same attitude I have.

We head back to our respective dressing rooms as Raw continues. My match is coming up soon so it's best I get ready. I'm amped even more because my anticipation for the future. Things are definitely looking up now and it'd be a waste to think of the past.

* * *

**Paige's POV**

I'm too ecstatic! On the inside, I'm jumping off walls and flailing randomly. On the outside, I'm trying to keep my cool but the giddy girl is too easy to spot.

"What's that giant smile for?" Emma approaches me in the locker room.

"What? I can't be happy to just be here?"

Cover-ups like these don't work on my Australian best friend. I spill the big news in secret, going over what Miz told me. Hopefully, the plans actually pull through to screen. She responds with the normal sweet nothings as I can't help but jump off even more walls.

In my peripheral, a few Total Divas pass us. I hear Nikki mumble the word "slut" towards my direction. My jaw clenches as I dismiss her energy as best I can. Getting heated now would be pointless because her plans to detach Miz from me have already failed. I won't let her bring me down.

Emma noticed the remark though, "Woah. What was that about?" She whispers to me.

"It's nothing. Nothing I can tell you here, anyway. It's getting really petty, is all I can say." I look behind me where the Bella twins are dressing down from their television and ring gear. Even when they're not looking, I can feel their attitude burn straight through.

"Let's take this somewhere else, Emma." We direct ourselves out the door and begin walking down the hall. As soon as we're out of ear's reach, I also tell her about the discovery before the show and how my name was spat on.

"Are you serious? I'm gonna set Nikki straight right now!"

"No Emma—please, just keep this between us. Miz said to brush it off. If it's ignored, then it'll stop sooner rather than later."

"For once, he's right. That's just sincerely unprofessional. I've lost respect for her."

"But I mean, who could blame her Emma? She _is_ close with Maryse, the woman whom I stole her husband from. I get it. I may not like what she did but I have to accept that it came from defending her friend." As I reflect on the entire situation, I realize this has got to be the most mature thought I've had in a while. How much have I really changed?

"You can handle this, Saraya." Emma gives a pat on my shoulder. Her attention gets directed above my head and all of a sudden, an arm is thrown over the same shoulder.

_This isn't Miz..._

Slowly, I look up at the man and see that it's Wade Barrett.

"Oh hey, Wade. What's up?" I ask.

"I just got the word that we're prompted for a new story coming up in a few weeks."

"Yeah, I've heard as well."

"With The Miz...hey Emma, do you mind if we can talk privately?" Emma listens to the request and leaves both of us. I'm not sure why he had to send her off like that.

"As I was saying, this new program with the both of you should be done well."

"Yeah Wade, I agree on that."

His voice relaxes, "Paige, don't think I'm oblivious to this blossoming relationship between you and Mike."

_Everyone knows now anyway..._

He continues,"One thing I don't understand is out of all of the men in the locker room, why him?"

I'm taken back. He says this like I picked Miz off from a list to see which guy would I wanted to do the most. It's getting uncomfortable as he's still near my body. I say nothing but my face screams it all.

"Paige, what I'm getting at is that you don't have to stay with a guy like Miz when there's many options that fair so much better...like me."

Is he serious? I'm genuinely disgusted. How dare Barrett have the audacity to belittle Miz and suggest that I would throw myself at him for Christ's sake.

"Alright, Barrett. I really don't wanna be seen in this topic of conversation right now. I'm gonna go, I have to be somewhere." I attempt at a safe escape.

"Go ahead, Paige. Just remember what I said. I'm looking forward to the storyline."

I jet away in the same direction Emma left and a pang hits as I think about my role in the new rivalry. I thought we was a really cool guy once but my opinion on him has turned in an instant with this exchange. Now just being around the smug like Barrett is hard enough, but actually pretending to like him for the storyline? This is going to be tougher than I originally expected.

* * *

(Post match/Post show)

**Miz's POV **

I make my way back from the match as the adrenaline leaves my sore body. Another night's work, completed. The locker room includes guys scattered in groups, shooting the usual. Settling on a chair near my locker, I check my phone for any messages. A few texts from friends back home, from the parents, but none from Maryse. I wonder if she watched Raw tonight. I highly doubt it, yet I don't depend if she did or not. But there is a text from Paige. I jump seeing her name displayed on screen.

_"Hey I'm gonna ride with you to the next city. I have to talk to you about something important. Find me after, love you" _The kissing face emoji at the end of the message doesn't take away the fact that something's up. I wonder what...

I find Paige, bags to her side, waiting for me outside where the buses and trucks are lined up. As I come closer, I'm able to see a small smirk.

"Hey babe," I say. One more step forward, she reaches for my cheek and pulls me in for an unexpected wet kiss. "Woah there, tiger."

"Sorry, I just had to do that. It helps when I'm stressed."

"Maybe you should be stressed more often... Anyways, what happened? Why so stressed?"

We make our way to the rental car as she tries to explain what happened between her and Nikki first. Then between her and Bad News Barrett. I'm empathetic because she doesn't deserve this type of harassment in one night. We settle into the car, a far familiar place.

"Do you want me to kill Barrett now or later?" I say.

"Now would be great to be honest. At least I won't have to deal with his stupid remarks about why I'm with you."

"Well, your safety comes first, Saraya. If this means you don't wanna go ahead with the storyline, I'd be okay with that."

"No, Miz! I would never put your career behind just because I can't handle something like this. I'll deal with it and we'll be fine. We'll make it good."

"I'll always be here to protect you. I hope you know that."

"I do, thank you."

"Because if he even tries to look at you that way, I've got some bad news for him and the beatdown will be awesome."

She laughs. I hope that eased her tension. In all honesty, I never thought Barrett would be the kind of guy to hit on a girl so blatantly. Especially someone so young like Paige. It's unnatural for me to think of his darker side because it's never showed before. I need to clarify things with him. He shouldn't be going around with such a big ego. I've made that mistake before and it didn't help at all. Plus, he's hitting on _my_ girl. That by itself doesn't sit cool with me. But he's not worth getting into an altercation with and costing an opportunity at a kick-up in my career.

We drive off into the night, heading straight for the next city which is Green Bay, Wisconsin. This 5-hour drive should be easier now since there's someone here with me again. Those nights where I drove without Paige were miserably isolating. I got sick of my own thoughts. At least with her, the time on the road won't seem as long.

_Yay for bonding time!_

* * *

_Hope you liked this chapter :D_


	20. Chapter 20: The One

_We've reached Chapter 20! :D_

* * *

_Tuesday, June 10: Green Bay, WI_

**Miz's POV**

Tired, sore, drained but we made it to Green Bay. The night, which is turning into dawn as we enter the hotel, is deathly quiet as we make the way up to our room. I'm dragging all belongings, managing to drag my body with them while I'm at it. Just another day as a WWE Superstar. Paige is trudging along right behind me in the empty hallway. We're silent because we know a bed is waiting and that's all we really want.

The car ride did provide interesting conversation though. We spoke about everything you can name. I'm pretty sure we covered how the universe was created, but I'd have to check.

I slip in the card key and pop the door open. Two large beds sit so perfectly made in the rectangle space. We settle in then plop onto the mattresses. It's almost 6AM and I have an autograph signing in a DVD store at 11. Alright, I guess I'll have 3 hours of sleep again. I set a phone alarm accordingly before resting my head on a pillow. I look to the left and see Paige knocked out, nearly snoring already. That seems so good to do right now so I follow her and sleep away...

* * *

(3 hours later)

I'm woken up by, not my phone alarm, but a body sprawled across me. I take a few seconds to straighten my vision and there's Paige on her phone. She's on her back over my stomach as she's texting away towards the ceiling. Her shirt is riding up so I give her abdomen a tickle and she twitches.

"Well, goodmorning to you too." I say. Her weight actually feels nice on me so I don't try to get her off.

"Morning, babe." She's still looking at her phone.

"Really? I'm less interesting than your phone? Really?"

Paige finally looks to me, "Aw, Miz. Sorry, I just needed to respond to a few people."

She drops her cell on the bed and sits up on the adjacent edge. There's a draft where her body was, now it feels kind of empty.

"How was your nap?" She asks.

"Not enough but I'll take it. How about yours, did you dream of me?" I joke.

"Why would I need to dream of you if I have you in real life?"

"Touché, babe, touché."

Paige laughs as I sit up next to her. A little too quickly, the room spins for a moment. "Hey, I have a signing in a couple hours."

"Ooh, sounds fun."

"Yeah, it should be. I was thinking about having you there with me." (Actually, that thought literally happened at that moment.)

"Me at the signing? Wait, can we do that?"

"Why not? I'm sure the fans will love it." I throw an arm over her shoulders.

"Okay, I'll be there!" She lands a kiss on my cheek. I turn to her and give a peck back on the lips.

All of a sudden, a phone goes off. Thinking it's just my alarm, I stand to grab mine from the drawer and freeze at the sight of a familiar name on the screen. It's Maryse calling.

Paige sees who it is and looks up to me, "You're still gonna have to talk to her, you know. Answer it, Miz."

Hesitantly, I slide to unlock and hold the phone to my ear. "Hello?" I ask, then settle on the bed across from where Paige is patiently sitting, her eyes glued on me.

_"Mike...I miss you..."_ Those words strike the heart as questions flood my mind. I say nothing and let her continue, _"I just have this to ask...do you still love her?" _The person in my ear is someone so distant from the person right in front of me, literally and emotionally.

"...I'll be honest with you, Maryse. I feel like it's the least I can do..." I gulp, "Yes...I still love her."

_"...Okay. That's all I wanted to know."_

She hangs up the phone as my line goes dead. I look to Paige as she's holding a sincere smile in my direction. Returning the phone to its original position, I'm drawing out millions of questions out of confusion. How is Maryse handling this? She sounded very calm. She said she misses me but how can she have forgiven me? Will she call to talk to me again?

I slump down in surrender to figuring out the answers. Forgetting about the woman I fell in love enough to share a life with is impossible. Of course I still love her, but it's different from the love I have for Paige. Of course I still care...

"Miz, it's okay," Paige stands and steps to me. I can see her legs come in front of my knees. "I know she still means something to you."

Her hands grab my face and tilt my jaw up to meet her eyes, "This doesn't change anything between us. I may not know how you feel, but I understand." Her voice is soft. I'm not sure she'll ever understand what it truly feels like to be drawn away from someone you thought you couldn't live without. It makes you question if it was even real at all, and if it can ever happen again.

I'm still staring into her eyes, so innocent. She's still so innocent yet she's the only thing holding me together. Her touch is soothing, like it always has been.

"Saraya, I want this to work so badly..." My voice cracks mid-sentence. I try to hold back the lump forming in my throat, "I've lost so much in my life that nobody knows about...I just want us to be something I can't lose." My eyes look somewhere else so I don't see her reaction. Here I sit, vulnerable Miz.

Paige dips down and catches my stiff lips. At first, I keep my mouth still trying not to provoke the tears from falling. I gulp in her kiss and let her in. In that moment, the single tears drop quick and heavy. Her thumbs wipe them away as she continues to assert herself over me. She lets go and tries to part, but I reach behind her neck. Our eyes meet as our foreheads touch.

"You won't lose me, I promise..." Paige whispers, "But if you lose yourself, I'll come find you."

I don't want to cry anymore. This girl forces the tears in, making me stronger than I've ever imagined.

I stand up and wrap myself around her frame. The most comforting feeling ever is being in her arms. This is all I need. She squeezes tight as our bodies touch. I'm wondering when I'll be done with the dramatics, I just want to be happy—free to love Paige without worrying about anyone else. This isn't The Miz I was before and there's no such thing as normal anymore. I'm a version so much better, because of her.

"I love you," I manage to say after some silence.

"I know. I love you too."

We part to look at each other. I lean in to give her a kiss to close this chapter of another obstacle.

This all won't be behind me just yet, but it's going one step back, two steps forward. At least I'm moving forward. I have no choice in that though, there's no time to seek the past. I'm not done, just over it.

_I'll cross that bridge when I get to it, right?_

I'll also be burning those bridges once I get to them...

* * *

**Paige's POV**

I place myself right next to Miz, in a folding chair. People are watching us in excitement and eagerness. The line of fans reaches throughout the store to the very outside, then around the building. No one even knew I was going to show up today, they're all here for him. I look in his direction, so happy, and I can't help but smile in his pride. I hear the individual cheers of men, women, and children that have made their way to meet a true Superstar in The Miz. He must be so humbled.

A few of the staff members helping out with the signing lay out markers, 8x10 photographs of Miz, and official WWE autograph paper in front of us. I display my title to my right and get situated.

Miz suddenly stands up, "Everyone, give it up for your Divas Champion, Paige!"

A wave of cheers flood my ears. I smile even wider and wave out to the small crowd forming. He sits back down and gives my left knee a squeeze under the table. I'm sure I turned red again, having all of this attention is still a brand new feeling.

The autograph signing commences as the first few fans step up to the table and introduce themselves.

* * *

(2 hours later)

As the signing is wrapping up, the last few make their way over. They're two teenage girls, maybe 13 or 14, both with Miz shirts on.

"Hey last in line! You girls deserve a hug for waiting that long." He stands up and reaches for them, as each gets an embrace. Throughout the day, he's been so nice, trying to make unique conversation with every person. He truly is a people pleaser. His comfortableness allowed me to be just as open with the fans as he is.

"Hi, girls! What're your names?" I ask. They're adorable as they freak out.

I find out that one is named Evelyn and the other is Jessica.

"You two are so cute together!" Jessica exclaims. I'm pleasantly taken back at this. Evelyn follows her up with, "I thought it was sweet when you wore each other's shirts on SmackDown!"

It's like they already know.

"Thanks girls! Yeah, how cute is this?" Miz throws an arm over my shoulder and presses his head against the side of mine. I look for a second and notice he's making a goofy face. I puff out my cheeks and cross my eyes to one-up his crooked teeth grin.

We return to our normal faces as the two young fans giggle. Then, we sign the photos and paper for them. They ask for pictures and we gladly stand to pose. I can tell they're more than happy and it only took a few wrestlers to make that happen. This aspect of being a WWE entertainer is my favorite, the fans make it all worthwhile.

As the two girls leave, that finishes the successful autograph signing. The turnout was incredible to see.

All of the fans, cliche to say, were awesome. I couldn't help but notice that a lot of the female fans, from the beginning of the two hours until the end, mentioned Miz and I as an item. They said we 'should be together' and something along the lines of 'the perfect couple'. Granted, this surprise duo meet and greet does foreshadow the next WWE storyline. I laugh in my head—I guess I'm just doing my job by being with Miz.

_Best job ever._

The next few months are going to be so fun. Although, I know for a fact the rest of the locker room will be filled with talk about how we ended up having a prominent program on the show, and wonder why they don't. Shit behind our backs once again, I'm too used to it. This storyline is going to propel both of our careers and I won't be affected by useless opinions, not anymore. It's time I focus on Paige instead of _them._

Miz and I jump into a black SUV waiting for us at the back of the DVD store. As the driver leaves the parking lot and we hit the road, he laces his fingers between mine and lifts our hands up to his mouth where he places a kiss on the back of my palm.

Having Miz with me just makes it all easier. Maybe this was fate. The messed up way we've managed to come together was our destiny and we were supposed to be with each other all along. We're better together.

It's too early to jump to conclusions, but I think he may be the one...

I smile in thought. Looking down at the Divas Championship on my lap then back up to his glowing blue eyes, I'm exactly where I want to be.

* * *

_What do you guys think so far? :) So I'm noticed there's a lot of kissing in this story lol Should there be more or less? Writing for these two is too much fun! _


	21. Chapter 21: Bad News

_Happy Monday!_

* * *

_Tuesday, June 10: WWE Friday Night SmackDown taping - Green Bay, WI; Resch Center_

_(1 hour before show time)_

**Miz's POV**

Sitting in the middle of the locker room, I'm stretching and making sure my body isn't tense. I'm mentally preparing myself for the show tonight. I have a match against Bad News Barrett; it all works out like this: I pull a surprise roll-up pin victory versus the champion and partner it with a promo with Renee backstage saying how I'm coming for the Intercontinental Championship. This is going to be the first of the build up towards Battleground. I'm not sure, but I heard that Paige has her own segment before our match. Something with Barrett about representing the UK. I hope she'll be okay with working with him. But most importantly, Wade better forget everything he said about us. It's only business, let's keep it that way. Or else, I'll knock the personal right out of his mouth.

The door opens and Nick walks in, in full Ziggler gear. He makes his way over. I take out the headphones out from my ears.

"Hey man, how've you been?" He asks.

I stand to meet him face to face. It's good to know that the confrontation with Maryse hasn't been exploited around. "Been better, but I'll take what I have."

"So...you and Maryse. You and Paige. I mean, I don't wanna poke at any personal buttons but—"

"It's fine, Nick. But with Maryse..." I shake my head as a signal.

His face picks up the gesture, "Oh. Sorry to hear that, Mike. And how'd Paige take it?"

"She was there. She helped me get through it." (I mean, she _is_ there.)

"You guys for real? Like, _together_?"

I nod.

"Wow man, I thought this was just a secret fling. I had no idea you actually felt something for her, enough to break your marriage."

"You're just laying it on thick, man, aren't you?" I chuckle at his straightforwardness, "There's something there no one sees. It's not like I regret being with Paige."

"Hey, it's completely you Mike. I'm nobody to judge. If I knew what you felt like, I'm sure I'd say the same. I just wanna make sure you're good. You are one of my best friends after all," he pats my shoulder.

"Thanks, Ziggler. And I'm okay, awesome even. I told you I knew what I was doing. Things are looking up so that's where I'm looking too."

We leave the topic at that and continue to talk about the show aspect. Now that he's heard it from the source, I'm glad I have another person to trust with this information.

* * *

**Paige's POV**

I stand in the middle of a hall, with a camera crew in front of me. They're ready to film the backstage segment with Barrett and I. For it, I'm supposed to be walking to the ring for my match then Bad News comes over and starts his promo. One of the guys gives me a signal and I begin trudging across the concrete floor.

I look past the camera in concentration. Barrett pops up to my left as I stop in my tracks.

He's in Bad News persona, "Paige! Just the girl I've been wanting to meet. I'm afraid —this time—I've got some _good_ news. You see, the UK is steadily taking over the WWE. Me with my Intercontinental Championship and you with the Divas title. Good news—we're going to be the biggest names in this company very soon! Good luck in your match tonight." He adjusts the title on his waist accordingly.

I nod in agreement, "Thanks, Barrett. Good luck in yours." _Against my man._

He walks past me and I continue the pace to the ring. The off-camera signal from the same guy flicks and the crew takes the equipment from my face. I get complimented then head to Gorilla for my match against Nikki Bella. What a coincidence.

* * *

_(Post match)_

I make my through the black curtain. The match was short but most of it was a set-up for a feud with the Bellas. Brie was ringside as Nikki and I squared off. A good 7 minutes in after she threw me out of the ring and gave me one hell of a beat down, Brie tried to pull her sister off as the count was almost to 10. I managed to slide in at 9.9 as she started with the relentless kicks in one corner. The ref pushed her back then I caught her in a roll-up pin for the win. It was executed fairly but it could have been better. As always with these Total Divas.

The air conditioned breeze hits my skin as I cool off at a refreshment table. I set my title on the wood.

Suddenly, a strangely familiar arm drapes over my shoulders. I wince in question. It's too hasty to be Miz. "_Awesome_ job out there, kid." Barrett says as his loud voice fills my right ear. The way that entire sentence comes out gives me chills like you won't believe. A bag of uneasiness drops in the pit of my stomach. It just became uncomfortable, yet again.

I say nothing in response.

"C'mon, Paige. Where's the love for good ole' Wade Barrett? It's like you don't know me!"

I take a gulp of water, pretending he's not there. Hopefully, this makes him go away.

"How about our NXT days, huh? Remember them? You know, I've always liked watching you—"

"HEY."

Barrett finally drops his arm. We turn to the yell as I see my savior. Miz makes his way over, dressed in grey gear. His face reads of fury towards Wade, I smile a little. I grab my title and rest it on the same shoulder to give me some sort of cleaner feeling.

"I'm afraid I've got some _bad_ news, Barrett. She doesn't like you trying to get at her. Actually, _I_ don't like you trying to get at her." Miz wraps his arm behind, around my waist. He grips my body close. I release a sigh of relief at his touch.

Barrett throws his arms up in surrender, "Alright, alright. Wouldn't wanna make a scene here, Miz." He begins backing up. Before he leaves, he throws a smug smirk and a wink my way. I roll my eyes.

"You okay?" Miz asks once we're left to ourselves. He moves himself to the front of me.

"Yeah, just nauseous." My stomach calms down as I take another sip of water.

"That won't happen again, and that's about how far he's gonna get."

Miz's jealousy makes me feel more secure, and turned on all at once. I shake the idea from my head in humor.

"Anyways, good job out there babe." I almost forgot he switched 'kid' with 'babe', which definitely takes away the guilt from when Barrett called me kid.

"Thanks. I tried to make it better but it did its job, I guess."

"You made the entire match better, trust me. No one was focused on the Bellas."

I smile in the kind words. He's such a supporter. In the corner of my vision, I come into contact with Nikki's glance as the Bella twins pass swiftly, heading towards the Divas locker room. A sour taste on that girl, I swear.

My attention returns to Miz as he's waiting for something from me.

"Well, have fun out there winning against Wade."

"I will. I'll even give him a little message as a reply for what he said to you." He winks and smirks, which is much better than the one I received before.

Miz grabs my jaw and leans in for a kiss. I have no problem in letting him do so as I tilt my head upwards. Every time our lips come into contact, it feels better than the last.

We say our "love you's" and part ways after that. His match is up next and I'll settle for watching it on a screen. My steps rush to the Divas locker room, then almost immediately halt at the thought of the hyenas waiting on the other side of the door. I let out another troubled sigh and enter the fray...

* * *

_Review :D_


	22. Chapter 22: Brewing Storms

_Enjoy!_

* * *

**Paige's POV**

Upon entering, I find the usual group of Divas busy with themselves and attending to whatever they need to. Good, at least that means I'm less susceptible to talk behind my back. The only live-feed monitor is hanging on the wall in the corner. I'm not surprised when I see the Bellas sitting promptly to watch the next match. I go over and stand next to Brie, who's comfortable in a folding chair. Even when I'm fixated on the television, the energy of their stares burn. Miz makes his entrance to the ring first. It's weird just seeing then watching him when I know he's only a short distance away. I smile at the way he purses his lips so arrogantly. One of the Bellas give an obvious scoff, I try to ignore them. Then, Bad News Barrett comes out. His "bad news" for the WWE Universe is that 'the amount of hurricanes in the South and scorching heat in the West won't compare to the devastation that he's going to inflict on Miz tonight'. Whatever that means. I lose my grin.

"Hey Brie, I think Barrett has a crush on Paige. He had his arm around her earlier." Nikki says out loud, obviously wanting me to hear. I stay on the match.

"So, is that another guy she's trying to get with?" That remark from Brie completely catches me off guard. I would have never expected that from her.

I instinctively turn my head. A blanket of rage has covered me. "Really?" I ask with disdain.

They look up towards me like they're innocent.

"Do you girls have anything better to do, rather than talk shit behind my back?" It's too late to take this back as my heart begins to race in anger.

"Oh I guess you've caught on, Paige. Sorry, it's a habit." Nikki answers and smiles, battering eyelashes while she's at it.

_So full of shit._

I'm trying my hardest to be the bigger person and brush it off before the worst happens. With that, I turn and rush out of the negative energy pit that is currently the Divas locker room. Once out of the door, the heavy feeling seems to lift. I breathe out in distress. I move further away from the room. Down the hall, Emma is coming in my direction.

"Hey! Long time, no see best friend." She perks up. I've got to admit, I do miss our classic adventures. I just miss my Aussie friend in general.

"Emma! Finally, a face I don't wanna smash. Thank god, I need someone to talk to."

We go somewhere away from any ears that might listen and I catch her up with what has happened in the past week. I didn't realize that there was actually a lot, hidden with me, to spill on the table. I annoyed myself after talking so much but I couldn't shut up before telling Emma everything. At least now, the burden doesn't weigh as much to carry.

"Wow Raya, I don't know how to respond to any of what you just told me."

"I just needed to get it off my chest, is all."

"Well, I'm not gonna judge you. It's crazy how you've ended up with a man now."

"I know. It's moving so fast and slow at the same time."

"I'd take Miz's advice too—just avoid the drama as much as possible. All you really need is to be around the people you actually like more, y'know."

"Aw Emma, you miss me don't you?"

"Of course I do!"

I open and reach my arms for a much-needed tight hug. I'm so relieved I still have a friend through this. It makes it easier knowing someone has your back.

* * *

_(Post show)_

**Miz's POV**

The crew is now packing up the SmackDown show. Another successful night with little to no problems (of course, excluding the Paige and Barrett situation). My match went well and at one point, I gave Bad News a few stiff punches just for Paige. If he's as tough as he says he is, then I expect him to shrug it off like a man.

So I sit in my rental car alone, ready to leave the arena for the hotel. Paige told me she's going to spend time with Emma for the rest of the night. I completely understand—girl bonding is important. The plan is for the both of us to fly back to Florida in the morning, where she lives, and have our few days off there. I'm excited.

•30 minutes later•

I unlock the hotel room door and enter the darkness. Tuesday tapings are my favorite because that means I get sleep afterwards. Settling in, I schedule and book a ticket for the morning's flight on my phone. All of a sudden, it rings signaling a text message. It's Maryse.

_"Mike I only want to know if we can ever work this out. Do you still love her? Do you still love me? How much does she mean to you because we had 7 years. You know I still love you..."_

She continues the message, describing her feelings towards the entire situation and how she's been coping alone, back in California. Tears begin to form under my eyes. I try to hold them back but the pressure is overwhelming. Maryse still loves me after I deceived her. That's true love—something I'm having trouble in finding.

It's a long message, so long that it breaks into 2 separate texts. She couldn't have said this over a call, it'd be difficult to. That scar on my heart just got reopened. She's hurt.

And of course I still care for Maryse—I love her, I do. But I'm not _in_ love with her. I'm no longer that person that would yearn to be by her side anymore.

What I am supposed to do? I can't just text back an extended response, this has to be fixed face to face.

With that, I book another flight to Los Angeles on my phone...

* * *

_Oooh what do you think's gonna happen next? ;) Btw do you guys like the new story cover and my new profile avatar? It's so cute! :)))_


	23. Chapter 23: Her Touch

MATURE CONTENT WARNING! This chapter is rated **M** for subject matter...

I'm not a guy so writing it from Miz's POV was difficult but it had to be from his perspective lol ;p

* * *

_Wednesday, June 11: Orlando, Florida - Paige's apartment_

_(Late afternoon/Nighttime)_

**Paige's POV**

I quickly unlock the door, swinging it open to see an empty abode. Everything is exactly how I left it, mess and all. The air smells of comfort and familiarity. I drop my bags onto the floor. From behind, Miz lifts me up in a hug-type hold then sets me back down. I can't help but laugh. I hear the door shut as I turn to face him. Falling into his sturdy body, he catches me. That crazy giddy grin will stay plastered on my face for as long as he's around. Looking into his eyes, the ocean blue blends so well. I can nearly see my reflection in the water. He puckers his lips as I lunge to meet them.

We part and move the bags to a convenient area where there's less clutter. In my apartment, that's difficult to do.

"So this is your living space, huh?" He asks, looking around.

"Yeah. It's not much but it does the job. Not like your crazy big house, ya know."

"No it's not, but I'd rather be here so it's okay." He gives a wink.

"Awww, you're so cute!" I pinch both of his cheeks as he smiles.

Miz has been increasingly flirtatious in the past few days. Everything he says always ends up making me feel like an excited child. It's such a weird contrast he makes me go through—one minute: I'm a woman with a thirst for lust, the next: I'm jumping around like a 10 year-old. I guess that's just the teenager in me, which really hasn't had time to make an appearance until now.

We decide to get situated—I change into more comfortable clothing, and he does the same. Afterwards I notice him already spread out on the couch, on his phone, and has made himself at home.

"Really? I'm less interesting than your phone?" I mockingly repeat what he said to me back in Green Bay.

He glances up then proceeds by stuffing the device into his cargo shorts pocket, "Of course not, babe. Come here."

I gladly make my way over and plop right against his body. His arm drapes over my right shoulder. Every part of his presence makes me melt.

"So, what did you wanna do tonight?" Miz asks.

"Guest's choice. I'm up for anything."

"Yeah? How about we grab some dinner and then do _stuff_..." His obvious emphasis automatically gets me to giggle.

"Well, I'm not really hungry at the moment so I guess we can just skip to the stuff..." I look to him and raise an eyebrow.

We burst in laughter. It's hard to take him seriously with intimacy when I know neither of us are truly in the mood.

He pulls me in tighter, "No, we can grab food later. I think this right now is perfect."

This is one of the first times I'm able to relax in a while. Being busy on the road makes me new to this sitting, doing nothing. Except this time, I'm not dreading it. Time alone with him is precious to me.

"I guess I'll just have to tell you this before it becomes a surprise..." he says.

"What is it?"

"I have to fly to Los Angeles tomorrow."

My curiosity quickly turns into disappointment.

Miz continues, "Maryse texted me last night and I feel like I have to meet her face to face to handle this."

"But... So you're gonna miss my NXT appearance?" I slowly ask.

He breathes out, "I'm sorry, babe. It just has to be done."

"Do you want me there again?"

"It's okay. You have to stay here for NXT. It's between me and Maryse. I have to do this on my own."

The strain in his expression gives it all away. Though I understand, I don't like the idea of him leaving when he just got here. I lace my fingers with his and squeeze his hand. "How about Friday? Are you gonna make another flight back?"

"In a heartbeat, especially knowing that you're waiting for me. Then we can have that entire day."

I smile at the notion, "Okay then, it's a date."

"Just like this right? We have this whole night too."

"Yeah, just like this," I give him a kiss on the cheek.

Hopefully, Miz's talk with Maryse will act as a form of closure for the both of them. I'm not at all worried about it, just as long as he's able to come back to me. He needs to do this on his own, to finally close this issue. I put trust in him that he can do it.

* * *

**Miz's POV**

With that off my chest, I'm glad Paige didn't freak out about me flying back to my wife (which I'm currently separated from). I feel more at ease knowing she'll be there waiting when I get back.

But for the hours being, this time belongs to us only. I could sit here with her forever, not needing anything else...

A couple seconds of silence pass before I make a move. Anxiety swells up in my chest. My left hand reaches to tilt her head towards mine. I lean in for a deep kiss that even sends chills up my own spine. I need this before I leave. I need her touch.

Not stopping there, I continue to maneuver my jaw forward. She doesn't stop me but I can tell she's still new to the movements, hesitating with a slight rigidity. What can I say? I'm pretty advanced in the art of a makeout session. I'll proudly put on some lip locks that she'll have to tap out to. I capture her top and bottom lip, one at a time. The softness of her mouth is inevitably enticing. She makes a gasp-like sound which increases the mood even more. Not parting, I feel Paige's body move as I keep my eyes closed. Her legs end up over mine as she's now straddling my torso. I comfortably relax into the couch as her weight sinks me into the cushion. I grab behind her ear and resume the kissing. One hand is resting on a bare thigh, as her boy-shorts provide the appropriate length.

The smacking sounds get louder as our lips get wetter. I lean my chest away from the couch to sit up straight and support her body. Trailing down Paige's jaw to kiss her neck, her arms wrap around my shoulders as she throws her head back. I grab a handful of silk hair. I can feel the vibration in her throat as she lets out a moan. The other hand slowly makes its way up her tank top. Each finger graces the skin of her toned back. The warmth of her body on mine is unbearable. Ecstasy is radiating from my bones down to the toes. I grip her even closer which forces her to be right against me. I'm trying to get as much of the passion out as I can. The muscles in my neck are working their hardest. I return to her lips as my head surges. I haven't felt this kind of energy in so long, forgot how damn good it feels when it's with a person you can't get enough of.

Her hand tugs at my shirt. Without a moment's hesitation, she assists in slipping it off and over. In that split second I open my eyes to watch her, the tone on Paige's face is heavily drowned in desire—just as I've been this entire time. Controlling my hunger for so long can only lead to a an all-out feast...  
I can feel myself perspire in the heat being generated, mostly which is coming from my lower body.

"Where's your room?" I say, aggressively.

Paige lets up from my lap and grabs my arms, "This way."

We head down a small hall and enter the square space. The bed is open, free of any clutter to stop us from falling onto the mattress. And so we do. I gently collide on top of her, connecting mouths once again. I pull the tank top fabric up to her chest as I help in throwing it on the floor. Now it's just our bodies, skin on skin. The way her stomach contracts under mine becomes a near breaking point. One of her hands is on my back as the other is pulling my head to hers.

I part away for a few seconds to take off my cargo shorts. I grab the condom I always keep from a pocket, then throw them where her black top is. She slips out of her shorts in the same manner. Now there's just one layer left to get through.

Like I said before, rushing this would be a giant mistake. It's really up to Paige because the last thing I'd want is to force her to do this. I stop myself before I go any further, "Wait...are you sure, Raya?"

She gulps and nods so subtly.

"Is this your first time?"

She gives the same nod. Her brown eyes are glazed in hunger, craving lust. The beauty in her petite face is enough for me to break. She wants it all, and I'm going to give it to her.

I plant a soft kiss, "It's gonna hurt...but I'll be careful."

"I trust you..."

We take off the clothing covering our lower bodies. After putting on the protection, I lay on top of her frame. Each muscle contracted in anticipation. Staring straight into her eyes, I gently enter her. The way she feels around me renders my senses nearly motionless. She winces loudly.

"Breathe...relax," I whisper.

As I search the expression on her face, she's trying to feel through the pain. Her eyebrows furrow as she bites her lip. I begin to move back and forth, our hips coming into contact in each sway. I'm keeping my abdomen tense as the euphoric sensation floods the bloodstream. It's making me intensify the pace. When I go slightly faster, she moans in surprise. The strain in her neck shows the discomfort as she's turning a light pink. I push a hand on her flat stomach, "It's okay babe, I'm right here." She licks her lips then nods again, "Faster...I can handle it."

With that, I follow command. As Paige starts, the passion in me bursts through every vein. The bed creaks and rocks but I could care less. Her arms go under to my back where her nails dig and claw the skin. The sharp infliction from the scratches drives my entire body. Her warm face is applying pressure to the side of mine. When she tries not to make a sound but breathes out a gasp into my ear, it entices me even more. Heat and fire transcend within my blood. I return to a resistant pace, allowing her to take in each rough movement. I want to make sure she knows that this means so much more than her first time. This means our souls are united—we're one. _I love her so much..._

She's about to climax. I can feel her mouth go open. I prepare myself because I'm just as close as she is...

Her body tenses as she grips my chest close. Her strong legs close in around my hips, lower spine arching. It burns. She throws her head back with one last defiant moan, then we release with that final surge of ecstasy ...  
In that moment of bliss, I let myself go. I let the problems swirling in my mind go in a place so distant that it allowed me to just disappear into her. My entire body is so vulnerable from the pleasure. This is what I've been wanting since the moment I met her—not sex, but a union of ourselves. Our connection is as powerful and undeniable as ever.

I fall on top of her damp skin, "I love you, Saraya..." I breathe while I whisper into her ear.

"I love you too..."

We stay there for a moment and revel in the silence, listening to each other's breath. I give her one last lingering kiss on the moist lips before collapsing to her side.

With Paige, it doesn't compare to any other time. I've never felt this strongly about anyone in my entire life. This is what love should be every minute of every day. I couldn't be any happier with her and justifies the reason my life took its head over heels flip.  
I smile. Then my eyelids calmly drop and I'm off into a deep sleep...

* * *

_Review! :)_


	24. Chapter 24: End and Beginning

_Enjoy :)_

* * *

_"I didn't wanna fall in love, not at all. But at some point you smiled, and, holy shit, I blew it."_

_Thursday, June 12: Orlando, Florida - Paige's apartment_

_(The morning after)_

**Paige's POV**

I flutter my eyes open to the bright sunlight shining through the window. It's so intense that I immediately squint to accommodate my vision. Last night's sleep was the deepest I've ever had in my life, not just as a traveling WWE superstar. There's a small draft towards the lower end of my body and that's when I remember I slept without any sort of underwear. The pair that was disposed of is only a few feet away from the bed so I stretch my arm out to grab it. Sitting up and covering myself, my body is in all types of new soreness. Mostly between my legs...

I'm expecting Miz on the other side of the bed, but turning around, it's just the remaining bed sheets with the shape of someone who had been resting there.

_Did he leave already?_

My heart dies in such a quick drop at the thought of him just disappearing without a notice. I let out a sigh, then put on a pair of comfortable workout shorts. As I'm leaving the room, I hear a crackle. Then the aroma of bacon and eggs waft to my nose, slapping my senses to the smell of breakfast. Upon entering the kitchen, there's Miz just in an apron hustling over a busy stove. I can't help but smile at this sight.

"G'morning, champ." He says with his back still turned away.

"Morning, babe." I'm too happy to call him anything else. I take a seat at the small table that has already been set up with utensils and plates for the meal. The stove clicks off and Miz makes his way over with three plates in two arms. Scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, and my ultimate favorite—pancakes.

He places them in front of me and scoots a chair to my left, sitting down. "I hope it all tastes alright, I haven't made food for anyone in a while." He smiles and it's too damn adorable.

"Thank you, Miz. This is really... awesome of you."

He gives me a kiss on the forehead, making me calm again.

Then, we dig into the feast.

The replay of last night's events turns on in my head. I'm usually not keen on the details of things but I can recall every little speck in what happened just a short while ago. It's ironic because I had thought we wouldn't be in _that_ mood at all. I guess it just took a switch of a kiss to change that. Miz's power to make me confident enough to advance bases with him is irresistible. Like I said before, he can do whatever he wants with me...

As I take a few bites of egg, these thoughts mask the taste of the food. Now I'm just chewing, not really eating.

"Hey Saraya, I know what you're thinking..." His voice breaks my staring off into space. "I just wanna say that last night was incredible."

I really have no idea how to respond to that so I just settle with, "It definitely was..."

He laughs, "For your first time, it was perfect."

Losing my virginity to Miz is one of my better decisions. Despite the initial pain, he made it something so special. They say you never forget your first, I say I wish I could do it all again. All of the unfamiliar sensations, felt amazing.

"...Thanks?" I laugh afterwards.

"We'll do it again sometime," he winks, sending another tingle up my spine.

"Hey y'know, I thought you left when I woke up."

"Just to buy ingredients but I could never leave you so easily."

_Aww, how cute._

"So what time is your flight?"

"Eleven-thirty. That gives us some time to hang out, I guess."

"Please say we don't have to go anywhere, I just really want you here with me."

"Aw Paige, of course. That's kind of what I wanted anyway."

I smile at him. At least he's mine for a few more hours than I expected.

* * *

**Miz's POV**

If you ask me if I'm ready to face my wife, my answer would be a giant NO. But no one's really ready for anything in life, right? Every time I think about boarding that plane and flying to Los Angeles, my heart just about leaps out of my chest. There's no avoiding it. I have to put on my big boy pants because it has to be done...

After breakfast, we decide to lounge in her apartment. There wasn't that much time to go on an adventure anyway so we're left with ourselves for fun.

In this span of two hours is where I get to know her a little more than I already do. Favorite music, favorite movies, favorite foods—favorite everything. Our tastes are almost identical, it's so weird. With Maryse, it was clashes left and right over the simplest things. I could tolerate that but having someone with the same interests is nice for once.

It's these kinds of moments that make it so hard to leave Paige. It's just her without any covers or fronts. There's no pressure for us to keep our mouths shut about things so we just let it all out. We gossip about the other Superstars and Divas, laugh at how crazy they can be, and share some embarrassing stories to pass the time. Building trust like this is so important to me, and I'm confident to confide in her. She's my Paige.

At the airport, she's there to send me away. It's closing in on 11:30am as I just have my phone and wallet with me. Everything else is at her apartment because there's no doubt I'll be back. We stop at the gate.

"Looks like this is where we say goodbye." She says.

"Wow babe, don't be so depressing about it! It's not a goodbye, it's a short timeout." I hold her body close, by the waist.

She laughs, "Okay, okay you're right. Well good luck, don't have too much fun." Her arms drape over my shoulders.

"I'll be having a miserable time, thank you very much. I'll let you know how it goes."

"Seriously Miz, don't make it worse than it already is. I want you and I without anything to stop us."

"I completely agree..." The intercom goes off. "Alright, I have to board now. I'll see you soon. Have fun at NXT."

I lean downwards to her lips and catch them ready for a small kiss. We part and say our love you's. I wave to her as I show the flight ticket on my phone. Before turning to walk, I get one last look at her, then enter the plane.

Taking a seat in the appropriate section, I stare out the small round plane window. It's hitting me right now that this will be the last time Maryse will be called "Mrs. Mizanin". I know what I have to do, but I don't know what to say. I stare down at the fourth finger on my left hand. The ring is still there but it no longer holds any meaning.

_This is it._

Once the plane finally rolls down the runway, I reflect on everything that has gotten me this far. I'm off to the other side of the country to face the end, to a new beginning.

* * *

_Surprise Saturday Update! Next one coming on Monday, as usual ;)_


	25. Chapter 25: Maryse

_Miz confronts Maryse! Will it be for the last time?..._

* * *

_Thursday, June 12: Los Angeles, CA - Mizanin Home_

_(Afternoon)_

**Miz's POV**

Straight from the LAX airport, I rode a taxi to get to my own house. It's getting real in each ticking second. As I pay the driver and then exit the car, I'm mentally preparing. Unlike a match on Raw or SmackDown, this takes a toll to the heart rather than the body. In my opinion, I'd rather tear a muscle than tear an emotion. Here I go...

I grab the handle to find the front door unlocked.

_Stop being a chicken, Miz. It gets worse than entering your own house._

Listening to my own advice, I burst through like nothing. The walls are eerily quiet. Each breath is stalled and gets harder to release.

"Maryse? I'm here like you wanted, where are you?"

_C'mon, just show your face already. Let's get this over with._

It's not that I'm angry at her, I'm irritated at this anticipation. I hate this feeling of knowing something bad is going to happen but I'm left in paranoia. I walk towards the kitchen and the room is lit by natural sunlight. Maryse is sitting at the dinner table, drinking a cup of coffee. Her expression is blank, because she's staring off. She shakes her head then looks at me. No make-up or anything, it seems like she hasn't been caring as of late. Wouldn't blame her.

Between us, the tension can be cut with a knife. It's silence for a heavy minute. "You came all the way back just to talk it out? Didn't expect this from you." She says first.

I take the seat across from her, "Yeah well, I've hurt you already, wouldn't wanna treat you even worse."

"...So is this the end of us, Mike? Are we done?" Her tone is so incredibly sad, it's like she knew it was over in that night we fought. The empathy begins to stem inside.

She continues, "Because I don't want to go around pretending we're still together and have myself act like a person that I hate. I'm not dependent on anybody."

I've always known Maryse to be this strong woman that doesn't take any shit, that's what attracted me to her in the first place. That's her very core because her life has revolved in making sure she was okay first. A part of me is glad of the fact because it makes it a little easier to let go. But I still question some things.

"Maryse, what was that talk of you missing me? Did you mean any of it?"

"Of course I meant it, but I had time to think since then—when you were probably having sex with your new girlfriend, " She stands up from the table and puts the mug into the sink. "Mike, you destroyed all the years of trust in one night. I was hurt when you told me, but at least _you_ told me."

"I'm sorry for hurting you."

"Don't say sorry. Let me tell you that _I'm_ sorry for wasting seven years of my life with you. _I'm_ sorry for not being enough. And _I'm_ sorry for having you regret putting a ring on my finger." She takes off the silver wedding band and slams it on the counter, then waits for a reply.

I'm stunned silent at her words, there's no response that could detain or console her feelings. There's really nothing I _can_ say.

"Divorce. Divorce, Mike. That's the only way. You still love her? You still want to be with her? Then just say the word and we'll file. Does that make you happy?"

I gulp, without a sound,"...End it, Maryse." Those three words manage to finally escape out of my mouth.

"That's all I needed to hear." She says something in French as she quickly leaves the kitchen and I hear the front door slam shut. I realize that she said "good riddance" on her way out. A moment later, a car engine revs in the driveway and its gone in the next.

The house stays empty for the longest time. Pins and needles could be heard if they were dropped. Her intense scorn lasts within me. I breathe out, breaking the dense air. It like I couldn't move when Maryse stared at me, backed into a corner like a frightened dog.

It's over. We're getting a divorce. I never thought I'd be planning one in my life. Especially with a woman who I thought was the one. What am supposed to feel? Numbness (again) for one. Placing my face against both palms, I let it all soak in.

_Isn't this what you wanted all along?_

No, it wasn't. I didn't want to have such a beautifully sculptured marriage thrown away just because of my own feelings for another woman...

_But isn't this what you want now?_

I guess... Like I said before, I'm not the same Mike Mizanin. Something has changed me—someone. Someone whom I care so deeply about enough to call it love. There are two sides to this and I'm looming over both. I'm not completely sad nor happy. I'm in a weird in-between purgatory that I haven't been able to cross over to a chosen field safely. It's damn confusing but my heart is split. Was this the right decision?

I take out my phone and decide to give my parents a call, I sincerely need family to talk to. My mother answers the line and goes through the usual 'how are you' and 'how've you been' spiels.

It's not long before I get to the serious point, "Mom...Maryse and I, are getting a divorce." Those words darted out of my mouth so sharp and I felt as though it speared through her heart. Tears begin to swell up under my eyes, waiting on her reaction.

_"Well Mike...I don't know where to start. What happened?"_

"I don't know where to start either. I...met this girl at work. I'm sure you've seen her on Raw...Paige?"

She makes a sound as a yes.

"Yeah, her. I don't know Ma, something just made me fall in love with her."

_"How long ago was this?"_

"A couple weeks ago, the same night I made my return. But as crazy as this sounds, I couldn't help _not_ falling in love."

_"Mike, I thought you loved Maryse."_

"I thought I did too. I mean I still do but I'm not in love with my wife anymore..."

_"So you two decided on this divorce?"_

"Yes...it's what's best for the both of us."

_"Well honey, I only want what's best, but I'll ask you this: Is this Paige girl really worth your marriage? I'm not telling you to do anything, except think—think hard and smart right now."_

"Of course she is," I couldn't have said that statement fast enough. That solid answer just concluded my previous question. "I've never made a connection with anyone in my life that compares what I have with her, Ma."

_"Alright then Mike, you and only you know. You're a grown man now and this choice is yours. If a divorce is what you have to do, then you have the right to go through with it."_

"Thanks, mom."

_"You must really love this Paige girl."_

"I do...I love her a lot."

_"Well I'm happy for you, honey. And thank you for letting me know what's been going on in your life."_

"Thanks again, and of course. This means so much coming from you."

_"Your happiness is what's important to me. I'll be proud of you as long you're happy with whatever you decide to do."_

"Thank you, again. I love you, Mom. Tell Dad the news and that I love him too."

_"Okay sweetie, I will. Good luck with everything. I love you."_

We say our goodbyes and end the call. After that conversation, I'm in a lighter mood. At least I'm not getting shunned by my parents after spilling the tough news. I'm ready to move forward with this now. I'm ready to close this book once and for all. It's been written and the sequel I'm currently writing includes the story of meeting the woman I was meant to love—Paige.

I finally smile when I realize I get to return to her tonight, maybe even on an earlier time than she's expecting. But first, I have to make a quick stop at the jewelers before leaving California. Either way, I'll be with her later. It's time to go and be with the girl of my dreams.

* * *

_Hope you enjoyed this chapter :)_


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